Going The Other Way
by SKBeliever
Summary: [Epilogue Up!] Meredith kept something from Derek 7 years ago. Now he's found out about it. But someone else is in the picture... Who will Meredith choose in the end? Pairing: MerMark, MerDer.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1  
**

"Are you keeping it?" Christina looked at Meredith seriously and asked.

"What do you mean am I keeping it? Of course I'm keeping it!"

"What about your internship," Christina reminded her. "Have you thought about your internship?"

"Of course I have, Christina!" Meredith looked at her worriedly. "Of course I have..."

But in all honesty, she has not.

--- --- ---

"Meredith's pregnant?" George looked back and forth at Izzie and Christina. "When did this happen? How come no one has told me this?"

"We already told you, George, so shut it," Christina sighed as she layed down.

"Is she giving up her internship?"

"We don't know," Izzie shrugged. "She's speaking with Dr. Webber right now."

"How come she didn't tell me," George frowned. "Is it McDreamy's?"

"Obviously. Unless she's not telling us something."

"I'm not keepin' anything from you guys," Meredith suddenly entered the room and sat down next to George with a sigh.

"How'd it go with Chief?" Christina sat up and leaned closer to Meredith.

"He asked me if I was keeping it and I told him yes. He said I could still continue my internship until the time I need to go on maternity leave."

"So he's making you stay, yippee!" Izzie clapped her hand with a big smile.

"But I'm not," Meredith looked at them.

"What!" the three of them spoke simultaneously.

"I can't stay without the Shepherds finding out you know," she reasoned out. "I think I'm moving back to Boston or New York, yeah, I think I'm gonna move to New York."

"WHAT?" the three of them spoke simultaneously again.

"You can't!" Izzie shook her head.

"We won't let you," George spoke after.

"Just let her go," Christina spoke after a few seconds of silence.

"What?" Izzie and George looked at her.

"Thank you, Christina," Meredith nodded.

"She made a choice, deal with it," Christina rolled her eyes and left the room.

"I'm guessing that's how Christina deals with pain?" George asked.

"I guess..." Izzie nodded slowly. "Mer, are you really sure about all this?"

"I'm sure," Meredith nodded determined. "I'm sure."

--- --- ---

This is my first GA fic. So please be kind. :)


	2. Chapter 2

** A/N: Just to clear things out for this fic, Meredith found out she was pregnant some time after Derek chose Addison (Into you like a Train). So everything after that hasn't happened.  
**

**--- --- --- **

**Chapter 2**

_Three years later:_

"Oh my god!" Izzie picked up the toddler from Meredith's arms. "You're SOOO adorable!"

"Anx!" the toddler grinned widely at Izzie.

"He can talk!" Izzie gushed. "Mer, he's so adorable! I could just eat him up!"

"Yeah, he's a bit advance for his age. And please don't eat him up," Meredith smiled as she gave Izzie a hug. "How have you been? God, I missed you guys."

"I'm good," Izzie smiled. "George's coming home in a few minutes or so, I told him to bring Christina with him. She'll be ecstatic to see you. We missed you, Mer. Three years is just too long."

"I know," Meredith nodded as she placed her bags down. "So, umm, the movers are coming in a few minutes."

"We had your room on lock," Izzie assured her. "Oh god, I'm gonna put you down, big guy, you're a little too heavy for me."

"He is a bit big for his age," Meredith took her son from Izzie's arms.

"You want a cookie, Davey?" Izzie went to the kitchen and back in a few seconds with a big chocolate cookie.

"Mama?" David looked at the cookie and then back at Meredith as if asking permission to take it.

"Ok, baby," Meredith nodded and David smiled widely and took the cookie from Izzie.

"Anx!"

"You're such a polite little boy," Izzie gushed once again.

"You go sit here, ok, baby?" Meredith sat him down on the couch. David nodded and continued eating his cookie.

"Mer!" George's familiar voice came from the door. He immediately went over to her and gave her a big hug. "God, we missed you, Mer."

"I missed you too, Georgie," Meredith smiled.

"Meredith," Christina came from behind George.

"You still don't do hugs?"

"Oh, ok, but just this once," Christina nodded and gave her a quick hug. "I missed you, Mer."

"I missed you too, Christina."

"So this is Davey?" George went to the couch and kneeled before David. "Hi, Davey. I'm Uncle George."

"Ello!"

"Isn't he the most adorable thing you've seen in your life?" Izzie gushed once again and joined George and David.

"So," Christina looked at Meredith.

"What?" Meredith asked.

"You came back."

"I did."

"What does this mean?"

"Dr. Webber accepted my application as an resident," Meredith supplied her with the answer. "I'm starting on Monday."

"Shepherd's still here."

"I heard."

"You gonna tell him about the kid?" Christina motioned towards David.

"No," Meredith shook her head. "Not yet anyway."

--- --- ---

Meredith didn' expect to run into the person she had been running away from for three years on her first day of work. He saw her and his face fell into a sad expression Meredith didn't want to see.

"Meredith," he spoke her name just like he always did.

"Dr. Shepherd," Meredith responded.

"So it's Dr. Shepherd now, last time it was just Derek," he looked at her sadly. "Where have you been, Mer."

"Don't call me that," she frowned.

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

"And where I've been is none of your business," she told him as she walked away.

--- --- ---

"Hey, hey, hey," Derek picked up the boy and looked at him. "You're not suppose to play around here. What's your name?"

"Day!"

"What?"

"Day!"

"Who names their kid Day?"

"Mama!"

"Ooh, you're a smart one," Derek laughed at the boy's response.

"Anx!"

"You want to go with me in my rounds? We might find your Mama or Papa among my patients," Derek asked him and the boy nodded.

"Dr. Shepherd," his first patient greeted him.

"Mr. Houser, how are you feeling?" Derek placed the boy down and took out his patient's chart to look over it.

"Cute kid, looks a lot like you," Mr. Houser looked at the little boy looking back at him. "Didn't know you had a kid."

"He's not mine, actually," Derek looked up from the chart. "I was kinda hoping he was yours."

"Nope," Mr. Houser shook his head. "I'm too old to have something like that."

"It looks like everything's going fine," Derek placed back his chart. He picked up the boy. "I'm gonna go and find this boy's parents now."

"Good luck," Mr. Houser waved and went back to his rest.

"Looks like your parents were not from door number one, door number two, perhaps?" Derek spoke to the little boy.

"Aybe," the boy shrugged.

"You really are a smart one," Derek was amused. "So what's your IQ, huh? Mine's 190, what's yours?"

The little boy just giggled as they entered Derek's patient's room.

"Dr. O'Malley!" Derek greeted his colleague.

"Davey!" George looked at his friend's son. "Wh-what are you doing here?

"You know him?" Derek pointed at the boy. "I found him wandering around. Said his name was Day."

"Uncy!"

"Um," George shook his head and looked back at the chart he was reading. "I don't know him."

"Uncy!"

"I think he knows you," Derek placed the boy down once again and watched him trottle towards George and pull on his pants.

"F-fine," George handed Derek the chart and picked up David. "Your Mom's gonna kill Izzie."

"So you do know him," Derek looked at the boy more closely. "Whose is he?"

"Whose is he?" George looked at Derek and stopped himself from answering. He completely avoided Derek's question and walked out the door with David on his arms.

--- --- ---

"Hey," Derek followed the trottling toddler. "Day!"

The kid turned around and looked up at him with a big toothy grin.

"I thought I told you you can't run around this place?" Derek asked as he kneeled before the kid and talked to him. "Where's your Mommy?"

"Davey!" Izzie came running and picked up the little boy. Derek stood up. Izzie looked at him the same way George looked at him the first time he found the kid. "Dr. Shepherd."

"Dr. Stevens," Derek nodded in greeting. "That kid's been running around here all day, you'd better keep an eye on him."

"He's a handful," Izzie started to step away from Derek. "I'll see you later, Dr. Shepherd."

"Dr. Stevens?" Derek called after her.

"Yes?"

"Whose kid is he? He looks familiar..."

"Just a visiting friend, Dr. Shepherd, I'm looking after him for a few days."

"Oh," Derek nodded, looking at David once again.

"Is that all, Dr. Shepherd?"

"Yes, Dr. Stevens."

Izzie went the other way and almost broke into a run as she headed towards where Meredith was hiding and watching the whole thing.

"Mama!" David grinned widely as he saw his mother. He quickly wiggled out of Izzie's arms and tried to go to Meredith.

"Derek's met him?" Meredith whispered towards Izzie, trying to peak through the corner to look at Derek who was reading something on the nurses' station.

"I don't know!" Izzie shrugged.

"Oh god," Meredith sighed as she picked up David. "This is bad. It was a _very, very _wrong idea to bring him here. I can't go through with this."

"Just give it a few days, Mer, see how things work out."

"You're right," Meredith nodded curtly. "I think."

"Everything's going to be fine, Mer. Don't worry," Izzie reassured her friend. "Don't worry."

--- --- ---

_A few days later:_

"You're moving again?" Izzie dropped her cupcake and looked at Meredith. "You've only been here for about a week, Mer."

"All the better for me to move away... I thought I could do this, Izzie, but I can't. I really can't," Meredith smiled sadly. "I thought I could look past his smile and his stare and have everything be alright but I couldn't. I really couldn't. Things have become to complicated for me to handle. I'm a big coward, I know. That's why I'm moving away again."

--- --- ---

The flight back to New York was short but exhausting. Meredith knew she was a coward for going the other way again and not facing Derek. But she trully was and ever will be. She searched for the person she was looking for and found him sitting on one of the benches. She approached him.

"Hey," Meredith looked at the man who has been there as her friend the last three years she has been in New York.

"Hey," the man stood up and smiled as he took her bag and gently touched sleeping David's back.

"I came back."

"Yeah, you did," the man nodded and smiled. "I'm glad. You're staying this time around right?"

"I am," Meredith smiled as she nodded slowly. "I'm staying this time."

--- --- ---

Any guesses on who the secret man is? -grins-

Thanks for the reviews:)


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Okay, it's Mark. But it could have been someone else too you know... like... umm... nah, it was really meant to be Mark all along! LOL. I just love the idea of him and Mer together. So on this fic... Honestly, I'm still deciding between Mer/Der or Mer/Mark... By the way, it's going to be another fastforward on this part. Just to keep you guys up-to-date: Derek's moved back to New York two years ago about the same time Meredith moved back to Seattle (I wonder why. lol.). **

**--- --- --- **

**Chapter 3  
**

_Four years later: _

"The big seven!" Alex came parading in through their kitchen door.

"Uncle Alex!" David grinned widely and gave Alex a high five.

"Heard there was a party going down here," Alex took a seat beside him on the counter.

"Nah," David shook his head. "Just us."

"Why don't you invite your little friends?"

"You know I don't have much friends," David looked down with shame. "And all the other kids are bigger than me."

"That's what you get for being too smart and skipping grades," Alex tried to cheer him up. "Pretty soon you'd be an intern in SGH."

"I don't think Meredith wants me to become a doctor," David frowned.

"That's cos' you're too smart to become one," Alex shuffled his curly brown hair.

"I think I want to become a plastic surgeon, just like you."

"Aww, c'mon, you're making me blush."

"And Uncle Mark too."

"Ok, back to me, kid, back to me," Alex grinned as he playfully punched David's arm. "C'mon kid, let's go get my present for you. It's in my car."

"Cool," David smiled widely as he followed Alex out the door.

--- --- ---

"Hey there birthday boy," Mark appeared in the doorway.

"Uncle Mark!" David's face lit up with a wide smile and ran towards Mark. Mark picked him up and hugged him tightly. "You came!"

"Of course I came, I wouldn't miss a birthday of yours for the world. Happy birthday, buddy," Mark handed him a wrapped present.

"What did you get him this time?" Meredith asked, smiling, as she approached Mark. Mark hugged her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"I promise it's educational," Mark smiled at her as they both watched David open the present.

"DS lite!" David grinned widely. "Cool!"

"Educational?"

"It is," Mark pointed out. "With the proper games."

"You're spoiling him," Meredith commented.

"Hey Uncle Mark! Guess what Uncle Alex got me?" he smiled mischievously at Mark. With one look at David's smile, Derek's face both ran through Mark's and Meredith's minds.

"Hmm, let me guess... Something that you've never had in New York and something that you could have here..." Mark pretended to think deeply. "A horse?"

"Uncle Mark!" David rolled his eyes but laughed nonetheless.

"A bike?"

"Yeah! How did you know?"

"I saw it outside, buddy, very shiny... Caught my eye immediately. You _do_ know how to ride a bike, right?" Mark narrowed his eyes and asked him.

"Of course I do! It's as easy as one-two-three!"

--- --- ---

"How have you been?" Mark asked Meredith as they watched David ride on his new bike.

"Good."

"You're still a bad liar..."

"I'm telling the truth, I really am good."

"You're not missing somebody?"

"I haven't thought of him for a long time..."

"I was actually talking about myself there..." Mark half-kidded.

"Of course we miss you. We all do."

"I was hoping _you _miss me," Mark smiled a little with the little hope he had.

"Of course I miss you," Meredith reached over and squeezed his hand. "You're my best friend, Mark."

"Yeah," Mark tried to hide his disappointment with a small smile. "I know..."

"Guys! Cake's ready!" Izzie called out.

"Cake!" David jumped of his bike and ran towards the porch and inside the house. "Cake! Cake!"

"C'mon," Meredith stood up and motioned for him to follow. "You wouldn't want to miss Izzie's cake."

"God," Mark took one last swig at his drink as he sighed deeply and placed the bottle down. He looked over at the door where Meredith just walked through. "What do I have to do to make her forget him?"

--- --- ---

"You know I always leave the day after, buddy."

"Can't you stay this time around?" David took Mark's hand and pulled it. "C'mon Uncle Mark, just stay for a few more days."

"Davey..." Meredith took his hands away from Mark's and pulled him towards her. "You know your Uncle Mark's a busy man."

"I never get to see enough of him anymore!" David scowled and pouted. With one last angry look at Mark, he ran upstairs.

"Oh c'mon, buddy..." Mark tried to go after him but Meredith stopped him.

"Just let him be, you know him. He's not good in dealing with people leaving..."

"I don't want him to feel bad," Mark told her. "I could stay for a few more days maybe..."

"Mark..."

"Fine," Mark sighed in defeat. He picked up his bag and placed it on his shoulder. He gazed one last time towards the stairs to catch a glimpse of David but he wasn't there. He turned around and opened the door.

"You're not even going to say goodbye to me?" Meredith asked from behind him.

Mark turned around and faced her. "You know I'm not good with goodbyes too."

"Thanksgiving, right?" Meredith reminded him.

"I'll try to make it this time," he promised. Mark gave out a soft sigh and decided that it was the perfect time to bring up what has been on his mind. "Meredith?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Meredith just stared at him without saying anything.

"I'll see you," Mark leaned over and placed a quick kiss on her lips and walked out the door, leaving Meredith shocked.

--- --- ---

"Hey," Izzie greeted Meredith. "What's wrong?"

"Mark kissed me," Meredith took a seat as she looked at Izzie still shocked.

"What?" Izzie smiled a little with surprise as she went closer to Meredith to get all the details. "Mcsteamy kissed you?"

"He said I love you and then he kissed me... What do I do... Oh god..." Meredith sighed in defeat and dropped her head on the table.

"Meredith!"

"Seriously! Izzie! What am I going to do?" Meredith panicked and finally gave up with a sigh, looking at Izzie with confusion. "What am I going to do..."

--- --- ---

--- --- ---

"Look who I found sneaking inside the viewing room," Alex walked inside the room carrying David like a log. He heard David laugh and he playfully spanked his behind.

"Hey, that's child abuse," David spoke from behind him.

"Well you are not a child," Alex placed him down.

"I so am!" David stuck his tongue out at him and ran over to where Meredith was sitting. "Hey Meredith, what are you doing?"

"Didn't I tell you to stay in daycare, sweetie?" Meredith scolded his son a bit.

"I was bored," he shrugged.

"So what was the surgery you were watching about?" Alex asked as he sat down beside him and took some of Meredith's fries.

"Open heart surgery," David told him excitedly. "Aunt Christina's doing it."

"Don't encourage him, Alex."

"Aww, come on, Mer, the kid's a genius. He could be a surgeon right now if he wanted to."

"He's right, Meredith," David nodded, smiling widely.

"Not until you could reach the table," Meredith smiled at her son.

"Yeah, buddy," Alex nodded as he chewed. "You do have to work on that still."

"I could always get a platform you know," David reminded them both.

"Maybe in a few more years and a few more inches, sweetie," Meredith fixed his hair gently. "Don't grow up to fast."

**--- --- ---**

**W****ell, with Derek coming soon, David's about to grow up too fast... So anyway... what do you guys think Meredith _should _do? I'm thinking of a Mer/Mark pairing in the works here...**

**Thanks for the reviews. Hope you guys keep em' coming...**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: A lot of you have been asking why David calls Meredith 'Merdith', it's not some kind of twist to the story and no, it's not a typo or something, really, it's just that the kid's a genius and I watched it from some movie in where the kid genius doesn't like calling his Mom 'Mom'... They're complicated thinkers. LOL. But in times, David would call Meredith 'Mom/Mommy'. -grins-  
**

**Thanks for the reviews guys! LOL. Particularly loving the fact that most of the reviews I got are rooting for Mer/Mark. Didn't expect that one... -grins- So, anyway... Enter Dr. Derek Shepherd...**

**--- --- --- **

**Chapter 4 **

"Meredith!" Alex pulled her towards him and hugged her against him just in time. The biker rode past them with a swish. Alex let go of Meredith and started to run over to David who was already in the middle of the street. "Davey! Get away from the road, buddy!"

"I can't!" were the last words that came from David's mouth before one of the bikers hit him.

"Oh god," Meredith gasped as the next thing she saw was her son laying helplessly in the middle of the road.

"Someone call 911!" Alex shouted as he ran towards David. He knelt down beside him and didn't move his body just yet. Meredith followed him and knelt down beside Alex.

"Sweetie, sweetie," Meredith held his head gently. "Look at Mommy, okay, don't sleep. Just look at Mommy."

"I'm sleepy," David murmured.

"No, baby, no," Meredith shook her head, the tears falling down her eyes profusely. "Look at Mommy. Don't sleep, ok?"

"My head hurts," he murmured, closing his eyes slowly. "It hurts, Mommy."

"Oh god," Meredith looked around and prayed to god the ambulance gets there fast.

--- --- ---

"Ma'am? Could you hear me?" The next thing Meredith saw were faces huddling over her. 

"Dr. Grey," a familiar voice came from above her. "Do you remember what happened?"

"David, where's David?" Meredith didn't know if it was her own voice.

"He's being checked by another doctor. We already checked you out and with a few hours rest, you'll be okay."

"I need to see him. I'm okay. I feel okay."

"Dr. Grey," the intern who was looking after her tried to stop her from standing up but she was too stubborn.

"Just let me go see him, ok? I'm fine!"

"Meredith."

"Christina, where's Davey?"

"They got him down in MRI. Are you okay? Should you be walking?" Christina looked at the intern following Meredith.

"She's suppose to be resting, Dr. Yang."

"I told you, I'm fine!" Meredith continued walking.

"I'll take care of her," Christina told the intern as she followed Meredith. "Do you remember what happened?"

"We were taking a stroll and then all these bikes came out of nowhere. They hit him," Meredith gave Christina the details.

"Christina, why did you bring her down here?" George looked at Christina with a glare.

"She could walk on her own, and she wanted to see David."

"George, how is he?"

"It doesn't look good, Mer," George shook his head. "He has a blood clot in the frontal cortex."

"We need to operate then," Meredith looked at David from behind the glass and tried to think straight.

"It's not that critical, Mer," George assured her. "And you're in no state to operate."

"I'm good, George, I'm good."

"Don't risk his being, Meredith, think straight," Christina looked at her seriously. "We could get him another neurosurgeon."

"Only the best," Meredith added.

"Of course," George nodded. "Oh and you know what."

"What?" Meredith asked.

"That Saderso case, that case you wanted consult with, they already called in your consult from New York. They told me he already arrived this morning. I'd go tell Burke to call him in."

"Is he any good?" Meredith asked, tired.

"I heard he is," George nodded and passed a knowing look at Christina.

"Mer, maybe you need to go rest now," Christina led her out the door. "We'll keep an eye on David."

"Promise?"

"Promise," Christina nodded and stopped a passing intern. "You, get Dr. Grey a room."

"Yes, Dr. Yang," the intern nodded and took Meredith. Christina went back inside the room.

"It's Shepherd, isn't it?"

"Ummm," George nodded. "Yeah it is. Burke already called him half an hour ago."

"Meredith's gonna kill us."

"We're SO dead," George agreed.

"Dr. Yang, Dr. O'Malley."

"Speaking of the devil," Christina patted George on the back. "He's all yours."

"Dr. Shepherd, I would have said it's nice to see you, but really, I'm bad at lying," Christina gave him a brief nod and left the room.

"Some things never change," Derek smiled and looked at George. "What do we have here, Dr. O'Malley."

"David, ummm, David Gr-, David," George settled at that. "7 years old, got hit by a bike, we did an MRI and a CAT scan, he has a blood clot in his frontal cortex."

"Let me see," Derek looked at the screen. He looked at it for a few seconds. "We definitely need to operate. Have him ready for pre-op."

"Yes, Doctor," George instructed the interns to do pre-op.

"So, umm, how come Dr. Grey's not available," Derek looked at George.

"She's busy," George lied.

"Ok then," Derek sensed that George didn't want him to speak with him. "Let's go save that kid's life."

--- --- ---

"So what's the deal with this kid," Derek made small talk while doing the operation. "It seems like everybody's tense around here."

"He's a regular around here," one of the scrub nurses told him.

"He's a patient then?"

"No," she shook her head. "He's the kid of one of the doctors."

"What's his name again?"

"David, used to go by Davey but he _says_ he's outgrown the nickname."

"Davey," Derek tried to recall where he heard the name before. "Oh you know what, I think I met him before. He was like 2 years old  
back then."

"Yeah," she nodded. "He was around back then but he only stayed for like a few days, I think. Adorable little kid. He came back around two years ago. Never seen him not here ever since."

"Well then I guess you'll still be seeing the kid around, we're done here, people. Good job, everyone," Derek felt a sense of relief as he knew the boy was going to be safe.

--- --- ---

"Hey, you're awake," Derek looked at him. "How are you feeling?"

"My head hurts," David blinked a little trying to get used to the light.

"You just had brain surgery, that's a little side effect," Derek told him as he checked on his eyes with his penlight. "I'm Doctor Shepherd, by the way."

"It's 206," David suddenly said.

"Excuse me?" Derek asked as he placed back his penlight.

"You told me years ago that your IQ was 190 and then you asked me what's mine, mine's 206."

"Wow," Derek was amazed. "You remembered that?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I remember stuff."

"How old are you again?" Derek asked, amused.

"Seven," he replied.

"David Jacob Grey!" Bailey suddenly came trottling in the room. "What went inside that little head of yours and go running around on Dead Baby Bike Race day?"

"Hey, Aunt Miranda," David rolled his eyes.

"Grey..." Derek murmured and looked back at his chart. He found it weird that the last name of the kid was erased. And then he looked down at his history and found the parents' names to be blank.

"Are you trying to give your Mother a heart attack?"

"I'm sorry," David frowned at Bailey's revelation. "How is she?"

"I never found out until today that a brain surgeon could faint at the sight of blood," Bailey shook her head in amazement.

"Brain surgeon..." Derek mumured once again and looked at Bailey. "Dr. Bailey, did you just say Grey?"

"Dr. Shepherd," Bailey suddenly looked at him with surprise not knowing he was there.

"Dr. Bailey, did you just say Grey?"

"I know what I said, Dr. Shepherd, I didn't know what you heard," With a warning gaze at David, she left the room.

"Grey," Derek paused before speaking any further. "Are you in any way related to Meredith Grey?"

"Yeah," David nodded. "She's my Mom."

"Oh," Derek paused.

"You know her?"

"Yeah, yeah," Derek nodded, trying to piece some of his thoughts together. "I knew her."

"If you find her, could you tell her come to me?"

Derek didn't respond to him.

"Dr. Shepherd?"

"You know what," Derek placed down his chart and picked up a swab from the cart. "I'm just going to get a swab of your saliva, is that okay with you?"

"I guess," David shrugged and opened his mouth and Derek swabbed his inner cheek lining.

"I'll get to you later, okay?"

"Ok," David watched him walk out the door without another word.

--- --- ---

**POSITIVE**

Derek didn't feel anything first then it all sank in. He crumpled the piece of paper and threw it at the wall. "Damnit!"

He was David's father.

--- --- ---

**I know a lot of fics have been about Derek finding out about his kid when he needs to do a surgery on him/her. But I guess that's the way things would really go about cos' he _is_ a brain surgeon after all... So I used the plot on mine too, but the Dead Baby Bike Race added some twist to it, right? -grins- I can't get that phrase off of my mind since I first heard it. _"Dead Baby Bike Race! Dead Baby Bike Race!"_ LOL.**

**Mark's coming back on the next chapter... _-poor Mark, I wonder how much airfare he has spent going back and forth... LOL.-_ **

**Anyway... How'd you guys like this chapter? Please... Let me know.  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 **

"Why didn't you tell me?" Derek stalked over to Meredith who was sitting down on one of the benches outside the hospital. "Meredith! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Wh-what are you talking about?"

"Him," Derek motioned towards the hospital building. "He's mine. You kept him from me, Meredith!"

"How did you find out?"

"It was like solving a piece of puzzle, I'm good at those, remember?"

"You were married back then," she simply told him not knowing what else to say.

"I still had the right!" Derek didn't know wether to take a hold of Meredith and shake some sense into her or to kick something and transfer the rage he was feeling into the innocent object.

"I asked you to pick me, Derek, I begged you to pick me... When you picked her, you lost all your right."

"He's my son, Meredith, I have every right!"

"He's my son, too! And when you didn't pick me that time, Derek, you know it broke my heart. And I couldn't bear you break it again when you turn your back on our child too."

"Damnit, Meredith," Derek shouted, attracting the attention of some passerbys but he didn't care at the moment. "7 years! And what about that time you moved back here 5 years ago! I already divorced Addison then, I even tried to come after you! Why didn't you tell me then?"

"Do you honestly believe that you would have left Addison if I told you back then I was pregnant?" Meredith asked him. "I asked you to pick me and you still chose her. What do you think I could have felt if you decided not to choose me again, Derek? What?"

"I-I don't know," Derek sighed deeply, at a lost. "I don't know."

"If you were me, Derek," Meredith stood up and looked at him. "What would you have done?"

"If I were you back then," Derek suddenly realized a lot of things. He sighed and took a seat where Meredith was earlier. He breathed deeply before looking at her with a sad look, the same look he gave her when he once told her she saved him from drowning and gave him his chance of breathing for fresh air. "If I were you... I would have left me too..."

"Thank you," Meredith finally won her battle. She turned around and started to walk away but realized she was not done with what she wanted to say. She turned around. "My son deserves everything in life, Derek. If I stayed back then... If I chose to follow my heart and not decide logically... I don't think he could have gotten half of the life he has right now. So I'm not regretting that I chose to leave and give my son the chance of experiencing the life he has now."

--- --- ---

"You like fishing?"

"I haven't really tried to fish," David shrugged. "I've gone turkey hunting though. I didn't really like it but Uncle George's family did so I tagged along. They're fun."

"How 'bout ferryboats, do you like ferryboats?"

"Ferryboats?"

"Yeah, ferryboats," Derek nodded. "Do you like them?"

"Meredith and I ride the ferryboat every weekend. She said it calms her down."

"Why do you call her Meredith?" Derek asked him, wondering.

"Cos' it defines her more than _Mom_," David simply explained.

"You're a complicated kid, you know that?" Derek smiled a little. "So, ferryboats... Do you like them?"

"I guess," he shrugged. "Do you like them?"

"I love them. They're the reason I stayed in Seattle the first time around."

"They're still here, how come you left?"

"What grade are you in again?"

"The academics affair in Harvard are already offering me a spot in their school but Meredith said I should go through High School first. But I like staying in the daycare here more," he told Derek. "And you just changed the subject."

"Wow, Harvard, huh? You really are a smart kid," Derek smiled as he stood up to leave the room. "I just remembered something, I need to check on my patient."

"If I'm really as smart as you say," David spoke seriously. "Don't you think I would have figured out that you're my father?"

"Wha---" Derek turned around and looked at him with surprise.

"Is that why you left? Cos' you didn't want to be a father?"

"No," Derek went back inside and sat down on his bed. He had to make it known to David that that was not the case. "No. It wasn't that. I didn't even know you existed up until the other day."

"Meredith kept me from you?"

"No," Derek shook his head. "Don't think that, she had her reasons."

"What?"

"I-I was married," Derek shamefully admitted. "I was till a few years ago, actually."

"You mean Meredith and you had an affair?"

"It's a long story. Something I do not want to talk about anymore," Derek looked at him seriously. "Ever. Let bygones be bygones."

"You have to tell me eventually," David told him but deep inside, David knew he was not ready for a lot of things.

"Someday, maybe, someday," Derek smiled sadly not really planning on telling his son how he left him and his mother.

--- --- ---

"Hey," Mark surprised Meredith as he took a seat beside her. He looked at her empathetically.

"Mark! What are you doing here?" Meredith turned to him and looked at him strangely.

"George called me up yesterday. He told me about the accident, is Davey alright?" Mark asked, concern etched on his face.

"He's doing great," Meredith nodded slowly and looked away from him in guilt.

"Are you alright?" Mark could always notice if something was bothering her.

"I wish I could say that but then it would be a lie. He's here."

"Who?"

"Derek. He just found out about Davey yesterday."

"What did Derek say?" Mark took a deep breath. Derek was again in the picture, sadly, Mark knew he was about to be taken off it.

"He's mad, I guess," Meredith shrugged. "I'm not really sure about that part cos' as usual, I cut him off and made it all about myself again."

"And Davey?"

"I haven't actually seen him since his surgery. I don't know what to say to him..."

"Mer," Mark sighed deeply. "We both know you running away from your problems only leads you back to them in the end. You'd better fix this now."

"I know."

"Then what are you still moping around here for?"

"I need time to think this all through..."

"While you think... I'm just gonna go visit Davey now," Mark stood up from where he was sitting. "I need to see for myself that he's alright."

"Mark?" Meredith called out to him.

"Yeah?"

"About the other day..."

"Let's not talk about that now, Mer. I do not want to pressure you or anything. You've got a lot of things on your mind right now."

--- --- ---

"I heard the nurses whispering about you," Alex grinned as he took a chair and sat on it beside David's bed.

"What are they talking about?"

"I heard them saying you found out something you weren't suppose to."

"Oh," David gave out a small sigh. "You mean that Derek's my father? Did you know that?"

"Yeah," Alex nodded. "He was pretty big with the ladies here back then when we were still interns."

"I thought you were the big guy around here back then," David grinned, remembering Alex's stories about his _glory days_.

"Well," Alex nodded and smiled. "He came second to me."

"I look a lot like him, don't I?" David asked quietly.

"Yeah, buddy," Alex nodded. "They're probably going to be callin' you McDreamy when you start working here someday."

"Except I'd probably taller..."

"I'm thinking you would be."

"It's weird."

"What's weird?"

"Knowing that I have a father. I never really asked for one."

"You want me to go beat him up for you?" Alex tried to lighten up the mood.

"Uncle Alex!" David laughed at him.

"I've got a good punch," Alex playfully punched the air. "See?"

"I could take him," Mark entered his room. "I always did back then."

"Uncle Mark!"

"Hey, buddy," Mark smiled at David and then looked over at Alex and offered his hand. "Dr. Karev."

"Hey, man," Alex shook his hand as he stood up from the chair. He looked at David and gave him a wink. "I'll just go do my rounds. I'll  
catch ya' guys later."

"So..." Mark waited for David to explain his self.

"I know it was stupid," David frowned a little. "I didn't mean to walk ahead..."

"No one's blaming you," Mark reassured him. "How's your head?"

"Hurts a little but I still have all my memory, so that's good right?"

"I guess," Mark nodded as he sat down. "You got me worried there for a minute. I was hoping George was playing a prank on me."

"Sorry."

"Don't ever do that again, okay? You'll be giving a lot of people a heart attack if you do that again. We're too old to be dealing with this kind of worry."

"You're not _that_ old," David grimaced and gave out a little giggle.

"Oh trust me, buddy, I am old," Mark told him, nodding.

"What are you, like, 40?"

"38, buddy, 38," Mark corrected him immediately.

"So Derek would be as old as you then?"

"Nah, he's older than me. He's like 50. Kiddin'. Yeah, he's 38 too."

"I know about him... You know... Being my father..."

"You figured it out, huh? I knew you would the moment you'd meet him. I guess you've got a Daddy now. No more room for us uncles in the list." Deep inside, Mark hoped David would deny it in some level but he didn't.

"Have you seen Meredith?" David ignored Mark's comment.

"Yeah," Mark nodded, a bit disappointed.

"Could you tell her to come visit me? I haven't seen her since I woke up. I think she's mad at me."

"She's not mad at you, buddy," Mark reassured him. "I already talked to her. You've got nothing to worry about."

"Are you sure?"

Mark could sense the fear in David's eyes and nodded empathetically. "Trust me. You've got nothing to worry about. Your Mom's more mad at herself than she is at you."

"Thanks, Uncle Mark."

"Oh, by the way, when Derek's around... I don't think it's safe to mention my name, okay?"

"How come?"

"We're not exactly on good terms. So just don't mention my name around him, promise?"

"Promise," David nodded which was the only thing he could do as he wondered about all the secrets that has been going on around him lately.

"I better go," Mark stood up and walked towards the door. "I'll visit you again soon. I wouldn't want Derek catching me here, undesirable things could happen. I'll see ya'. I'm really glad you're alright, Davey."

"Uncle Mark!" David called out after him. Mark turned around and waited for him to say what he was going to say. David smiled at him reassuringly. "You're still on top of my list."

"Nice to know, buddy, nice to know," Mark smiled at David's words and left the room. His smile faded little by little as he got farther and farther away from David's room. As he passed by one of the hallways, he saw Meredith at one of the nurses' counters. He stopped and leaned on the wall. He quietly observed from afar with hope and then he whispered sadly. "I just wish I'm on top of hers..."

--- --- ---

**Next chapter, Meredith kinda break downs. Mark and Derek meet once again. And Mark decides it's time to talk it out with Meredith.**

**A/N: I promised to myself I would update everytime my fic reaches the 2nd page of the GA fanfic recently updated list. LOL. that or if I already get at least 20 reviews for the chapter -hint-hint- LOL. **

**Thanks for the reviews, guys! -grins- **


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Mommy!" David's eyes went wide and then started to tear up.

"Sweetie," Meredith immediately went closer to him and hugged him. "What's wrong?"

"I-I'm sorry," David whimpered.

"Shhh," Meredith calmed him down. "It's alright. It was nobody's fault except for the bikers."

"I didn't mean to go in the middle of the street,"

"I know you didn't mean to, Davey. All that matters now is that your safe."

"You're not mad at me?"

"Why would you think that?"

"You didn't want to visit me," David whimpered a bit as he placed his head against Meredith's chest. "I thought you hated me."

"Sweetie, I don't hate you. I could never hate you."

"Really?"

"Of course," Meredith reassured her son. "You're my baby, I could never hate you."

David winced and frowned.

"Does your head hurt?" Meredith took a good look at him.

"A little," he told her with a frown.

"Then why are you frowning? I already told you I'm not mad."

"Did they shave my hair off?" David suddenly asked.

"No, sweetie, just a portion, and they made it an undercut, you won't even notice it's there."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Meredith nodded.

"He's a good surgeon," David commented. "But I think you're better. I like to think I got my brains from you..."

"Davey... About Derek... I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier."

"Sorry? What are you asking sorry for?" David looked at her. "I'm not mad."

"You're not?"

"I could never get mad at you," David told her with a big grin, his seven year old charm showing. "I love you, Meredith, I'll love you forever."

"It would have been more dramatic if you said Mom instead of Meredith you know," Meredith kidded as she laughed a little. "I love you, too, Davey."

She looked at her son who always failed to hide his true feelings when it comes to her, just like what he was struggling to do now. She suddenly felt the guilt she was supposed to have felt the first time she walked away from Derek with his child inside her.

--- --- ---

"Mer?"

"Don't," she stopped him from trying to follow her. "Quit following me!"

"What's wrong?" Derek walked faster to keep up with her. He reached the elevator just in time before it closed on him.

"What's wrong? You know what's wrong. I lied to you! And I lied to my son! And you're asking me what's wrong!"

"I'm not mad," Derek told her.

"You're not mad?" Meredith looked at him wide-eyed and then suddenly started hitting him with the file she was holding. "You're not mad? Seriously?"

"Hey, what's th-!" Derek tried to stop her from hitting him.

"Be mad at me, Derek, be mad at me, please. Please..." Meredith stopped hitting him and leaned against the side, she broke down and let herself slip down to the floor.

"Shh..." Derek stopped the elevator and kneeled down beside her. He enveloped her into a hug. "It's alright, Mer, it's alright."

"No," Meredith cried out. "It's not alright. Damnit, Derek! Why won't you get mad at me. I want you to hate me!"

"I could never hate you, Meredith."

"I lied to you. I lied to myself seven years ago that I made the right choice. And look where I am now. In the middle of this mess... What the hell did I do..."

"It's alright, Mer. Everything's going to be alright."

After a few more soothing words from Derek, Meredith finally got herself together and calmed down. Meredith looked at him as he gave her a reassuring smile and Meredith pulled herself away from him.

"Thank you," she wiped away her tears and let out a deep breathe.

"You're alright," Derek gave her a small smile and gently placed her misplaced hair back. "We're all going to be alright, Mer... I promise."

--- --- ---

A few hours after Meredith's breakdown, Derek kept busy doing his job. He was just about to call it a night at 6 PM and check on his son who was already given the go signal to go home tonight.

He went inside the research room and took out his bag from underneath the table. As his gaze lingered away for a few milliseconds from his bag and out into the lobby, he saw someone vaguely familiar. Derek placed his bag on the table and peered through the blinds to see if what he was seeing was right. He immediately walked out of the room and approached his ex-best friend.

"Mark."

"Derek," Mark gave him a curt nod and tried to get past him but Derek stopped him.

"What the hell are you doing in Seattle?"

"Not running after Addison, that's all I could say."

"Addison? Addison's left this place 4 years ago."

"I know."

"No, really," Derek asked him once again. "What are you doing here?"

"I was called in for a consult," Mark shrugged. "What are you doing here?"

"I was called in for a consult too," Derek told him. "Wait a minute, consult? Who contacted you?"

"Dr. Karev," Mark informed him with a little smirk. He knew Alex would back him up on this one.

"I did not hear of any reconstructive surgery going on around here," Derek told him starting to become suspicious.

"I was called in, Derek, what else do you think would I be doing here?" Mark almost challenged Derek to defy him. "I certainly didn't come here to follow you and mess things up for you. _Again._"

"I didn't say anything of that sort," Derek defended his self but still looked at Mark suspiciously.

"Dr. Sloan!" Izzie suddenly came out of nowhere and approached them. "Dr. Karev told me he's in room 128, your patient's waiting."

"Dr. Shepherd?" Mark smirked at Derek and raised his eyebrow. "I'll be seeing my patient now if you'll excuse me."

Derek stepped sidewards and watched Mark and Izzie walk off. Shaking his head, he knew something was not right.

--- --- ---

"Thanks, Izzie," Mark spoke quietly as they walked away from Derek.

"Anytime," Izzie smiled at him.

"Have you seen Meredith around? I'm leaving a little later tonight," Mark explained. "I was going to visit Davey for one last time but I think Derek's been hanging around his room a lot. I wouldn't want to risk it."

"Meredith's at the on-call room, she said she wanted to be left alone a while ago, probably crying her eyes out because of McDreamy, _again," _Izzie rolled her eyes. "I swear to god all that guy ever brings to this hospital are tears! Uggh!"

"I really hope you're pertaining to him bringing tears into Meredith's eyes and not to his patients' families eyes," Mark still found it easy to make a joke out of Derek.

"You know what I mean," Izzie rolled her eyes at Mark. She pointed over to the closed door. "She's over there. He's all yours now, big guy, take care of her, okay?"

"I always have," Mark gave her a small smile as he opened the door to the on-call room and prepared himself to finally win Meredith over.

--- --- ---

**Meredith and Mark talk it all out next chapter... -yipee!-**

**A/N: I'm very disappointed to say that I'm updating this cos' it's in the 2nd page of the updated list (last time i checked, anyway). ****Where are my 20 reviews? Nah, just kiddin'. LOL. thanks for the reviews, guys!**

** And nixiebu, thanks for your BIASED opinion. ahahaha.!. why did i ever give you the link to my LJ and have you discover i write here... my mistake... my mistake...  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: This is probably by far the chapter I enjoyed the most writing. Short but sweet. Lol.**

**--- --- --- **

**Chapter 7**

Mark entered the on-call room as quietly as he could. He found Meredith on one of the beds, obviously not sleeping but contemplating her mind out. He could see from her body language that she was worn out and stressed out from her deep thinking. Mark knew it wasn't the time to bring into conversation

"I think it's time we talk, Mer," he spoke up.

"Mark..." Meredith sat up and looked at Mark who was looking at her intently, as if studying her.

"This is now or never, Meredith," Mark told her. "Now or never."

"Why does it have to be now?"

"Cos' he's here and you know I can't compete with him," Mark pointed out.

"No one told you to compete with him, Mark. And he's got nothing to do with me anymore."

"You've got a child together, Meredith. He's got everything to do with you!"

"He's got something to do with Davey, I know. But he's got nothing to do with me anymore, Mark. Nothing," Meredith knew that Derek's presence would complicate a lot of things in her life but she never thought Derek's presence would be a wedge between Mark and her. "I have no idea why you keep on insisting that."

"I just want to know if I have a shot... Against him..."

"I told you he's been out of the picture for a long time, Mark," Meredith repeated to him once again.

"Then why won't you let me in!"

"Cos' you're not willing to go in!" Meredith answered back.

"What do you think I'm doing now?"

"That's exactly it, NOW! What stopped you from doing it when we were back in New York? What stopped you from doing it when Derek was not yet in the picture?" Meredith bombarded him with questions. "Why, Mark? You probably wouldn't admit it till now, but you still love Addison!"

"Addison? You're bringing Addison into this? I can't believe this... How the hell did Addison get into this?" Mark could not believe what Meredith just said and how their conversation suddenly jumped into this.

"For all I know you still love her..."

"Love her? They got divorced _FOUR_ years ago, Meredith. Did I even go and try to pursue her? No. For all I know you do not want to let me in because Derek's in the picture again."

"When they got divorced four years ago, did I go running back into his arms? NO," Meredith retaliated back.

"Then what the hell are we still arguing about?" Mark spoke in a loud voice, getting tired of the argument that's starting to form between them.

Meredith let out a deep sigh and after a few seconds spoke quietly. "I do not want to ruin our friendship, it's the one thing in my life that's actually worth keeping..."

"I love you, Meredith," Mark's voice became soft and gentle and he looked at Meredith sincerely. He wanted to go closer to her and show her how much he really loved her but he knew he needed to give her space. He needed to know that she would not pick him out of his eagerness but because she really wanted to. " I realized that the day you left for Seattle. It hurt me that you didn't stay when I asked you to. Do you have any idea how happy I was you came back that time? I was actually already packing my bags that time to follow you here to Seattle and beg you to come back... But you came back. I thought I had the chance to make it right and finally tell you that I loved you back then but for some reason I didn't want to take the risk back then. And right now I'm taking the risk..."

"Mark, don't please," Meredith shook her head, trying to beg him to stop. "I can't..."

"Just give me a chance, Meredith. Give me a chance," Mark told her. "I'm not asking you to give everything up... If you won't give me the chance... I'll accept that."

"Give me time, Mark, I can't just jump the gun here," Meredith looked at him. Mark nodded slowly and then sat down on the bed, not looking at her. He started to pour out the things on his mind.

"That year they divorced... Addison went back to New York. She went to me thinking we were already free. But I realized that I was the one who wasn't free," Mark remembered that day like it was yesterday. "The look on Addison's face... I broke her heart that day, it made me feel guilty... But once I saw you and Davey... I knew I made the right choice..."

Meredith kept her eyes on him and then he looked up at her and stood up and started to walk away.

"Please, Meredith, think about this. I'm leaving for New York tonight at 9, I'll be at Joe's. If you do decide to give me a chance... I'll be there," Mark stopped by the doorway and looked at her. "Can I just tell you something?"

"What?" Meredith spoke softly.

"Derek's been my best friend since we were in the 1st grade. Everytime we went for something at the same time, he always got it. Not once did I regret not fighting back cos' I really didn't care for most of the things he won over from me, even Addison... If you haven't realized it by now, Meredith, I've been fighting for you, something I haven't done ever before. But somehow, I'm getting tired, Mer, I really am."

Mark gave him a sad smile and left her without another word.

--- --- ---

**Total rip off from season 2 episode five (the meet me at Joe's part). lol. The big question now is: Will Meredith show and finally put an end to this never-ending fic (hmm, wait, 7 chapters doesn't seem like never-ending now does it...)? Or does Derek still have a shot after all? -la-la-la-la-**

**Review please please please! **

**I'll try to update as soon as possible. I've been busy with my school work lately...  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**Have you guys watched episode 2? My favorite guy's back! LOL. with all the steam... ha-ha.**

**--- --- --- **

**Chapter 8**

"I was thinking," Derek placed down the patient's file and faced Meredith.

"What?" Meredith placed the patient's file she was holding next to his and checked her watch.

"Maybe David would like to spend sometime with me, spend sometime in the trailer..."

"You still have the trailer?"

"I haven't really gone and sold it."

"You have to go ask him yourself," Meredith told him.

"Oh, c'mon, Meredith, ask him for me. I'm leaving in two days and I haven't even had the time to get to know him. He's being released tonight, right?"

"Yeah, he is," Meredith nodded. "We're going home at around ten tonight. He's been anxious to go home. He's been riding a wheelchair going around the place."

"I know," Derek smiled as he remembered what he saw earlier. "I saw the head nurse catching him and scolding him."

"They all love him here, they don't mean any harm."

"I know," Derek grinned. "What do you say we have dinner tonight, the three of us, just at the canteen. I think it'll be fun."

"You'll have to ask him, Derek."

"You have to come with me, please, Meredith," Derek almost begged.

"Fine," Meredith sighed and waited for him to walk with her towards Davey's room.

"Hey, baby," Meredith walked over to his bed and sat down. "I'm surprised you're not running around in that wheelchair again."

"My hands hurt," David show her his hands which were already red.

"I told you to connive your Uncle Alex into pushing you around," Meredith took his hands and gently massaged them.

"I did ask him," David frowned a little. "He said he didn't want to get in trouble with the head nurse. He said she scared the hell out of him."

"Davey," Meredith warned him. "What did I tell you about using that word."

"Sorry," David quickly apologized. He looked over at Derek who standing near the door. "Hey, Derek."

"Hey, Davey," Derek finally had the courage to come closer. "Meredith and I were talking a bit earlier."

"About what?"

"That we go grab dinner over at the canteen," Derek told him, hoping he'd say yes.

"As long as you're coming," David said after a few seconds as he looked at Meredith.

"I've got somewhere to be, sweetie," Meredith told him.

"You're off at 7 today, Meredith," Derek reminded her.

"Meredith? Please?" David begged with his eyes.

"Yes, Meredith, please," Derek added to the begging.

"Fine," Meredith gave in with a sigh. "But only for a short while. I need to go somewhere before 8."

--- --- ---

_ I don't want to feel this way  
I don't want to say I'm just a friend  
I don't want to wait around here  
'Cause you don't want to feel no pain again  
We just lie about it...  
As we become shadows of ourselves _

Mark passed a longing look towards the wall clock at Joe's. It was already 8 pm and Meredith's not showing up. He still needed to catch his flight. He sighed and threw the peanuts he was holding back to the plate as he stood up and payed for his drink.

"Hey," Joe called out. "Where are you going? I thought you were waiting for Meredith?"

"My flight's in an hour," Mark shrugged. "I have to go. I'm guessing she's not gonna show."

"Aren't you even a tad bit interested with the ending?" Joe asked.

"I'm a sucker for sad stories," Mark scoffed a little. "This one's been sad right from the very start. I think it's time we finally place an ending."

"You suck, man! You really suck!" Joe called after Mark.

--- --- ---

"Meredith!" Joe dropped the towel with a little hint of disappointment. "You're late!"

"He's gone?" Meredith looked at Joe for a second and looked around the bar, hoping to see Mark somewhere.

"He left half an hour ago," Joe told her.

"Crap."

--- --- ---

Mark looked out the window of the airplane and gazed at the other parked planes. He watched as the people outside kept busy with their jobs. Transferring luggage... Visual checking the plane's wheels for damages... Directing the plane to their docking spot... He wished he could also make himself busy so that he wouldn't have time to think about stuff. He let out a tired sigh and closed the window seal with a shut.

He still couldn't believe that he did what he did. Asking Meredith to choose him over Derek was stupid, he knew. But asking her to show up at Joe's was probably more stupid because with her not showing, he knew he was the one who actually placed the end to what could have been. It was a bad choice on his part but he did it and now, he faced the fact that Meredith did, indeed, choose Derek over him.

He knew the feeling of being beaten by Derek at a lot of things, it happened so often back then that he already lost count. But Derek beating him this time around was different. It hurt more. It actually hurt so much he knew he was going to cry if he were not in public. Losing her over him was probably the biggest blow Mark could ever take. For all of the times Derek has beaten him, he always sprung back to his life as if nothing has happened. But this time...

He knew he was going to need a lot of time to heal...

And sadly, he admitted, that maybe this time...

He wouldn't be able to heal...

--- --- ---

--- --- ---

_**the lyrics are from Duncan Sheik's Absence of the Sun. nice song. you guys should go listen to it.!. **_

**you know what I hated the most in season 2? the fact that Derek showed up at Joe's and yet he chose Addison... do you think this is the case on my fic? would i let Meredith change her mind though she already chose to give Mark a chance by showing up at Joe's?**

**Derek's leaving for New York next chapter. Meredith's alone once again... **

**-review, PLEASE? it makes me extremely happyyyyy-**

** btw... I'm afraid of watching season 3 with Mcsteamy back... I only based his character on that one episode from season 2... I'm afraid with his real character unfolding on tv, my character here is so gonna be out of character... Wish that wouldn't be the case... Cos' I'd like to think of Mark the way I think of him. LOL.  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"Derek?"

"Yeah, buddy?"

"I can't sleep."

"Is something bothering you?"

"I can't sleep without Meredith by my side."

"Oh," Derek looked at his son who was curled up in the bed, evidently trying his best not to cry.

"Can I call her?" David looked at Derek with wide eyes, very much like his own.

"Sure," Derek took his cellphone and handed it to David.

"Meredith? I can't sleep," David spoke after a little while. Derek watched as David's eyes start to become sleepy and eventually closed shut with what Meredith was saying to him. After a few seconds, Derek carefully reached over and took the phone from David's hands.

"Hey," Derek spoke to Meredith.

"Hey," her voice came from the other end.

"Wow, how did you do that?" Derek looked at David who was sleeping soundlessly.

"He just wants to hear my voice."

"Thank you," Derek smiled a little. "For letting him sleep here with me tonight. It's a nice feeling just watching him sleep."

"You don't need to thank me," her voice sounded a bit strained.

"Is something wrong?"

"No," she denied. "Nothing. I'll see you guys tomorrow morning."

Derek didn't have time to say anything else as Meredith hung up the phone. Derek watched David for a few good minutes before the boy opened his eyes once again.

"Meredith?"

"She's not here, buddy," Derek told him quietly.

"I want to go home."

Derek gave out a sigh after a few seconds and nodded, not being able to say no with the almost begging eyes of his son.

--- --- ---

"This is Sloan's house, I'm not in right now," Mark's voice filled Meredith's ears. "Just leave a message after the beep."

_Beep_

"Mark, it's me, Meredith. You haven't been answering my calls. We need to talk. About the other night..."

Someone banging on the door made Meredith stop speaking. She tried to see from her position who was knocking on the door but she couldn't. Meredith brought the phone down and walked over to the front door. She was surprised to see Derek and David standing there.

"What are you guys doing back?" Meredith opened the door.

"He couldn't sleep," Derek told her worriedly as they both stepped in.

"I know," Meredith smiled apologetically as she wrapped her arm around David who was already leaning on her, half-asleep. "He has trouble sleeping without me there."

"That's alright," Derek nodded understandingly.

"You could just spend the night here if you want, I could go fix the couch."

"Could you?" Derek smiled with the idea.

"Sure," Meredith nodded and led David into the living room. "Davey, go lie down on the couch for a while."

"Uh-huh," David murmured as he walked over to the couch and sat down.

"He does that alot?" Derek watched his son.

"What?" Meredith emerged after a few seconds from the other room and layed down the pillows and the blankets she took.

"Call out your name in the middle of the night,"

"I don't know," Meredith shrugged though Mark already informed her of this everytime David spent the night over at Mark's. "He doesn't call out my name when I'm with him."

"So tell me about him," Derek took a seat down across where David was fast asleep. Meredith took a seat beside David.

"He's a good kid," Meredith simply told him.

"I know you could do better than that," Derek smiled at her.

"You have the chance to get to know him more now, Derek," Meredith told him quietly. David shifted in his sleep and opened his eyes for a few seconds, he looked at Derek sleepily and then at Meredith. He yawned and then layed down his head on Meredith's lap.

Derek looked at his son sadly and then at Meredith. "I'm leaving tomorrow, Meredith. I can't stay for too long."

--- --- ---

--- --- ---

"Mer," Derek opened the door and peeked through. He saw her sleeping with David on her side.

"Derek, what are you doing here?" Izzie suddenly popped out of nowhere and scared the shit out of Derek.

"Oh god!" Derek jumped up and closed the door with a thud. "Izzie! Don't EVER scare me like that!"

"I'm sorry," Izzie shrugged. "So what are you doing here?"

"I came to see if Meredith was awake."

"At four-thirty in the morning?" Izzie raised her eyebrow.

"Yes," Meredith suddenly swung the door open, half-opened eyes and all as she glared at Derek. "I am awake at four-thirty in the morning cos' some just banged my door!"

"I'm sorry," Derek apologized. "I was just checking..."

"Well, I'm awake now, what do you want?" Meredith placed her hands on her hips and waited for his reply.

"I'm leaving in a few minutes, I thought maybe I could say goodbye to David," Derek told her.

"He's sleeping."

"That's alright," Derek shrugged. "I was just hoping he'd be awake. I already said goodbye to him last night anyway."

"He asked me last night if you were coming back."

"Are you?" David appeared behind Meredith, rubbing his eyes.

"Hey, buddy," Derek looked at his son sadly. "I'm not sure yet. Maybe you could come visit me in New York sometime, though."

"You're not coming back, huh," David scoffed. "You can tell me the truth, Derek."

"I've got a job in New York, buddy. I can't exactly let go of everything there and come here."

"But your willing to let go of everything here," David glared at him and without another word went back to bed and went under the covers.

"David..." Derek called out to him.

"Derek," Meredith shook her head. "Just leave him be."

"I'm sorry," Derek looked at Meredith sadly. "I really am."

"Don't be," she shook her head. "I'll talk to him. Maybe we could fly there sometime."

"That'll be great," Derek nodded in agreement. With one last look at David, Derek left.

--- --- ---

**I just wanted to let this chapter pass... **

**Review... Please:D  
**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 **

"Meredith, let's go!" David shouted as he picked up his backpack.

"You don't have to shout, sweetie."

"Sorry," he looked at her and apologized. They went inside the car and Merdith waited for him to buckle up before driving away.

"How are you feeling?"

"About what?"

"Derek leaving," she snuck a glance at him and looked back at the road

"That was two days ago and I don't really care," he murmured as he looked out the window, turning away from Meredith.

"Would you like to go to New York sometime?"

"Let's not," he shook his head and sadly looked at her. He couldn't bear another heartache. It was more intense for him. His brain analyzes the situation too much, making the pain greater. "I don't want to see him again."

"Davey..."

"We're better off," he cut her off.

"You're disappointed."

"I survived 7 years without a father, I can survive the rest without him."

"Sweetie," Meredith looked at her son sadly. "You have the attitude of a 40 year old man. Have you ever thought that's because you were forced to be the man of the house too early? Maybe spending some time with Derek would be good for you."

"I could spend time with Uncle Alex or Uncle George."

"Are you sure you do not want to go to New York? You know I'm going to LA for that three-day conference this weekend. You're Aunt Izzie already promised to look after you while I'm gone. But if you want, I could just drop you off at New York."

"Am I going to stay with Uncle Mark if I do?"

"Maybe," Meredith nodded.

"And we're not required to see Derek?"

"Well, aren't you suppose to go there to visit him?"

"I told you, I don't want to see him anymore."

"He wants to see you, Davey."

"And I don't."

--- --- ---

"So what's up with the kid," Alex asked Meredith as he looked at David sitting down on one of the chairs in the waiting area.

"He's got his heart broken," Meredith sighed as she looked at her son. "He doesn't want anything to do with Derek."

"He really is a smart kid," Alex murmured.

"Alex!" Meredith turned towards him.

"C'mon, Mer, you know Shepherd, he likes breaking hearts," Alex told her. "He's already broken yours, he's already broken David's. Don't wait for him to come back and break it all over again. If David doesn't want anything to do with him, I say, let him. It's his life."

"He's seven! He doesn't know what life is all about. I want him to have the chance to have a father."

"He already has a lot of men around him that acts as his father, Mer."

"I know, Alex!"

"Then why are you still intent on having him accept Derek?"

"Cos' he's his father," Meredith spoke honestly. "And I could at least said I made them have a shot at having a relationship."

"You want me to talk to him?"

"Would you do that, please?"

"Sure," Alex nodded.

--- --- ---

"He's agreed to going to New York but only to stay with Mark," Alex announced as he returned from talking with David.

"I guess that's something," Meredith took into the consideration that she too needed to see Mark.

"You planning on actually bringing him there to see Derek?"

"No," Meredith shook her head. "I'm just going to drop him off at Mark's. I have a conference in LA, three days. And I need to talk to Mark too, anyway. I just wish he'd answer my calls. He's been avoiding me."

"Oh yeah," Alex nodded with a small teasing smile. "The whole not showing up at Joe's thing."

"How did you know that?" Meredith looked at him with surprise and suspicion.

"Joe talks a lot, Mer, you have to be careful where you do your rendezvous," Alex told her, not losing the teasing smile. "So, does this mean you did decide to try it out with him?"

"I did," Meredith nodded. "But he left."

"Joe told me Mark waited but he needed to catch his flight. _You_ were late."

"I know," Meredith did not need reminding of her being late. "He's been avoiding me and rejecting my calls."

"He probably thinks you already chose McDreamy."

"You think?" Meredith's eyes went wide in realization.

"Probably," Alex shrugged.

"I really need to talk to him."

"You really do," Alex nodded and with a cocky grin added, "Cos' you have to get laid, Mer. It's about time!"

"Shut up, Alex!" Meredith gasped as she playfully hit him on the arm.

"What? It's true!" Alex called out to her as he walked away.

--- --- ---

**Next chapter, McSteamy's definitely coming!  
**

**And someone's arriving into the story next chapter too! (don't kill me. any guesses, though?)**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: in 3 hours i'm about to take my biochemistry finals exam and i'm updating _this_... gosh, i am SO addicted. someone sedate me now!!! **

**--- --- ---  
**

**Chapter 11 **

"Uncle Mark!" David ran off from Meredith's side towards Mark.

"Hey, it's my favorite nephew!" Mark grinned as he gave David a brief hug. "Finally got tired of all those hotshot surgeons in Seattle? Figured you'd wanna be around good old Uncle Mark? Hey Mer."

"Hey," Meredith was surprised as Mark kissed her on the cheek and hugged her.

"I missed you," he told her.

"We missed you too, Uncle Mark," David rolled his eyes. He knew his Uncle Mark liked his Mom very much though he's not sure if his Mom likes his Uncle Mark the same way.

"I missed you too, buddy," Mark smiled at David as he let go of Meredith. "But who are we kidding here, huh? I just saw you guys last week."

"Can I go over there, Meredith?" David pointed towards the booth selling bean bags.

"Sure," Meredith nodded. "Just stay where we could see you."

"Sorry about that, I didn't want David thinking we were fighting or something..." Mark apologized.

"Mark, about that night," Meredith started to speak.

"It's alright, Mer, I understand. And I don't want to talk about it anymore. Let's just pretend it never happened."

"Mark..."

"Meredith, please. I'm dealing with it the best way I could, please don't make me breakdown. I'm barely making it right now."

--- --- ---

"And what's up with ferryboats, what's so special about them?" David complained to Mark as they drove back from the airport after waiting for Meredith to get on her connecting plane to LA.

"Well," Mark smiled a little. "I guess he likes the feeling of floating on water."

"Do you like ferryboats, Uncle Mark?"

"I couldn't say," Mark shrugged. "I haven't really ridden on a lot."

"Well, I have. And there's nothing so special about it," David pouted and crossed his arms across his chest. Typical of a seven year old.

--- --- ---

"So how many surgeries do you have today, Uncle Mark?" David asked him as they entered his clinic the next morning.

"Four, I think," Mark tried to remember just how many there was really. "No, five."

Mark entered his office and placed his coat on the back of his chair. He watched as David went straight to the couch and sat down.

"Aren't you going to take of your coat?" Mark asked him as he took a seat.

"Later," David replied. He stood up and walked over to Mark's table. He picked up the picture frame and looked at it with a smile. "Hey, you got them developed!"

"Yeah," Mark nodded with a small smile. "I changed the one where you were missing your two front teeth, I know you hated that picture."

"You would too if it looked like you had a window right in your mouth," David stuck his tongue out at Mark, making him laugh. David looked at the picture once again. "I like this better. Me riding a bike is cool!"

Mark gave him a small smile as he looked at his appointments for the day.

"You still haven't changed this?" David made a disgusted face as he raised the other picture frame. "Didn't Meredith tell you to get rid of this already?"

"She did," Mark gave him a secretive smile. "But what she doesn't know won't hurt her, right?"

"She said she looked like she just performed ten surgeries on this one," David pointed at his mother's face in the picture and laughed a little.

"But in reality, she just ran after you the whole time we were in the park. You are the one to blame on why she looked like that."

"Hey, I was 4! And besides, she's not just the one who looked like a wreck," David laughed as he pointed at Mark's face in the picture. "You look like you were all squeezed out."

"Funny," Mark took the picture frame from him and set it down, looking at it once again. He remembered asking a stranger to take their picture that day. David was between him and Meredith in the picture, David smiled widely while Mark and Meredith were barely smiling with the exhaustion of the running around after David all day. Each one of his patients that went inside his office asked him if they were his family and always commented on how they all looked cute and perfect together. Mark just thanked them and said that Meredith was just a close friend.

--- --- ---

"You're looking at me," David looked at the lady strangely. Mark asked him to leave the room for as he finished his last minute tasks. So now he was waiting for him on the lobby when the lady sat down on the couch across him and started to look at him curiously.

"I'm sorry, it's just that you look like someone I know. What's your name?"

"I'm not suppose to talk to strangers," David replied.

"Addison," Mark stepped out of his office, putting his coat on. He was surprised as he saw her sitting down and having a conversation with David. "I see you've met Davey here."

"It's David, my name's David. And she was looking at me strangely," David told Mark.

Mark laughed a little and patted David on the head. "Don't worry, she's a friend of mine. You're safe."

"How come I've only met you now?" David asked Addison.

"I'm just visiting. Been years since I've gone back here to New York"

"Oh."

"So what time do you want to head back?" Mark asked David. "You want to go catch a movie first?"

"I don't know, I guess," David shrugged.

"Okay," Mark nodded and looked at Addison. "What are you doing here, Addison?"

"Derek and I are having dinner. It's my last night in town I was looking for some company. I just thought maybe you'd like to come with us. I told him I'm going to ask you, he actually said it was okay, Mark."

"Derek?" David butted in. "You know Derek?"

"Yes," Addison nodded and looked at David. "Do you know him?"

"Umm, yeah," David nodded a little. "I met him some time back in Seattle. He operated on my brain."

"He was the someone I was telling you about."

"What someone?"

"The one who looks like you."

David didn't respond to her but suddenly grew an interest in his shoes.

"Maybe you'd like to have dinner with us instead of going to the movies. I bet Derek would like to see a patient of his."

"I don't think so," Mark shook his head, feeling the incoming problem he was about to face.

"Yeah," David agreed with Mark. "I think I'm just going to catch up with Uncle Mark here. And Derek and I already said our goodbyes."

"Are you sure?"

"Uh-huh," David nodded.

"Ok then," Addison nodded. "How are you related to Mark here, anyway?"

"He's a friend," David looked at Mark.

"Yeah," Mark smiled a little. "I practically changed this kid's diaper back then."

"Hey, you did not!"

"I did once, actually, I think you were like 10 months old."

"Oh," David recalled. "I think I remember that."

"Me--," Mark quickly caught his self. "Your Mom left you with me for a few hours. I had no idea what to do and you'd think being a doctor would have prepared me for a dirty diaper, but no. It was one of those things that'll be forever etched in my mind. I never changed your diaper since then, I made sure I didn't have to."

"That is so embarassing," David's eyes went wide and playfully hit Mark on the arm to stop from talking.

"I'm sorry," Mark grinned as he looked back at Addison.

"So... Dinner?" Addison asked once again in hope.

"We can't, I'm sorry," Mark apologized. He placed an arm around David's shoulders. "We've got plans."

"Fine," Addison sighed and quickly left Mark's clinic.

--- --- ---

**Lovin' Mark and David together. Father and son? Ha. Don't worry, Addison's not here to stay. :D**

**Someone guessed Finn was coming, I didn't think of that one... Hmmm... Could be though... -I do love McVet.-**

**  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: i just got some bashing just by mentioning Finn's name. LOL. sorry for the mer/der fans out there... but i was really cheering for Finn... (as if that would EVER happen). **

**Anywayz.. back to the story: Some Derek & Mark confrontation...**

**--- --- --- **

**Chapter 12**

"I met someone in Mark's clinic today, he said he was a patient of yours," Addison told Derek over dinner.

"Really? Who?" Derek looked up from his food to look at Addison.

"A boy," Addison paused for a while to recall the name. "His name is David."

"David?" Derek has now completely ignored his food and had his whole attention towards Addison.

"Yeah," Addison nodded. "Do you remember him? He looked at lot like you actually. A very, very serious young boy."

"Davey?"

"Yes, actually. Mark called him that."

"He's here?"

"Yeah, he was over at Mark's clinic. I asked them both to come to dinner but Mark said they're going to go catch a movie."

"Mark?"

"Yeah, Mark," Addison nodded. "Mark, your best friend, remember him?"

"Ex-best friend. We're not exactly in good terms right now. Just civil. Wait a minute, Davey's with Mark?"

"Yeah," Addison nodded once again.

"What is he doing with him?" Derek wondered out loud, completely loosing his appetite and he didn't touch his food for the rest of dinner.

--- --- ---

"Hey, look, it's Mark," Addison pointed across the street. Derek quickly looked where she pointed and saw Mark and David exiting the movie house. He was surprised when Addison took his hand and pulled him towards them. "C'mon, let's go over to them."

"Davey," Derek greeted as looked at his son.

"My name is _David_," David looked at him and then back at Mark. He took a hold of his hand and pulled on it. "Uncle Mark, can we go now?"

"Mark," Addison called his attention. "Would you mind stepping aside with me for a minute, I have something to ask you."

"Uncle Mark! Let's go," David looked at Addison and then at Mark as he pulled on his hand more. "Please?"

"Just a minute, buddy," Mark walked with Addison to the side.

"I thought you didn't like New York, buddy?" Derek asked him as he stepped closer to David.

"I don't," he murmured, looking at the passing cars, completely avoiding Derek's gaze.

"Talk to me, buddy," Derek looked at him sadly.

"I don't want anything to do with you," David looked at him for a second and then walked away from him.

"Davey!" Mark noticed David walking away and followed him. "Where are you going?"

"Away," he shouted without looking back.

"I'd better go," Mark smiled apologetically at Addison and Derek as he followed David with a jog.

"He's a very angsty boy for his age," Addison told Derek as she stepped beside him. Both of them watching Mark catch up with David and place an arm around his shoulder.

"His IQ's 206, did you know that?" Derek smiled a little as he proudly told Addison the little fact about his son.

"And you're telling me this because..."

"He's mine, Addison, he's my son," Derek sighed as he faced her.

"W-what?" Addison looked at him with evident shock.

"I just found out a few weeks ago..."

"Could you rewind and tell me again what I think I just heard?"

"David is my son, Addison."

"Son?"

"Yes."

"And his mother..."

"You know who, Addison, he's got her eyes."

"No," Addison shook her head. "He's a replica of you, Derek. So I wouldn't know whose eyes your pertaining to."

"It's Meredith."

"Let me just take a deep breathe and absorb everything, okay?" Addison flailed her hands around. After taking in the news and digesting it completely, she turned to Derek. "He seemed fairly close to Mark... How did that happen?"

"I have no idea," Derek shook his head, clueless.

--- --- ---

"Hey, Mer?" Mark spoke softly with David sleeping nearby.

_"Mark?"_

"Yeah, it's me. Did I catch you at a wrong time?"

_"No. How's Davey?"_

"Derek's found us out," Mark told her.

_"What?"_

"Addison came to visit..."

_"Addison?"_ Meredith's voice sounded surprised.

"It's nothing like that," Mark quickly defended.

_"How did Derek..."_

"They were having dinner, we were coming out of the movies..."

_"Crap."_

"I'm sorry. I didn't expect her to visit. It's been 4 years since I last talked to her," Mark apologized and closed his eyes, realizing the real weight of what just happened.

--- --- ---

"Mark!" Addison knocked on his apartment's door.

"Open the door!"

"Oh god," Mark sighed deeply as he approached the door. He opened it and found Addison and Derek. "What do I owe this visit?"

"We have questions," Addison told him. "And you've got answers."

"Could you please lower your voices?" Mark told them as they both entered his apartment. "He's sleeping, he was kinda upset a while ago."

"He's here?" Derek asked, peering into one of the rooms.

"Yeah," Mark nodded. "He's staying with me for a few days."

"But he can't sleep with out Meredith beside him!" Derek exclaimed.

"You make him drink hot cocoa," Mark told him his little secret. "He'll be knocked out in a few minutes. But you'll have to watch out in the middle of the night, he'll look for her."

Derek nodded, remembering the night David stayed with him. "I told him Meredith's not there."

"You don't tell him that," Mark looked at Derek as if it was the most obvious thing to do. "You just tell him to go back to sleep."

"You seem to know a lot about the boy," Addison butted in, feeling Derek's disappointment. "That's what we went here to find out."

"Meredith and I met a few years ago," Mark shrugged as he took a seat and motioned for them to do so too. They both sat down, Derek not feeling comfortable with his position stood up once again and began pacing the room.

"You knew about David and you didn't tell me?" Derek asked Mark angrilly.

"I wasn't in the position to tell you that, Derek."

"What do you think you even have a position at all?" Derek looked at him with rage.

"Position?" Mark stood up and walked towards Derek, leveling him. "You're gonna fucking ask me about that, Derek? Ask me where I have been the last seven years, Derek!"

Derek looked at him without saying anything.

"Ask me!" Mark closed the gap between them and collected all his self-control not to punch Derek in the face. "I've been with your family! The family that you abandoned! I took your place, Derek, I took your god damn place! And you're asking me what my position is?"

"I didn't know she was pregnant with him back then!"

"Well you should have found out if you hadn't been so full of yourself back then."

"Would you guys stop the bickering!" Addison mediated. They both stopped and Mark finally stepped away from him.

It was a few minutes before the heavy air subsided and Derek spoke first. "So, tell me about him. Meredith didn't talk about him much."

"Well... He's a real momma's boy. I mean, the kid couldn't even sleep unless Mer's beside him. Too damn smart for his own good," Mark shook his head with a smile. "Stubborn... I think he got that from you."

"Yeah," Derek nodded, not even wanting to deny it to have something in common with his son. "I am the most stubborn man I know."

"He doesn't like it when he's treated as a kid, well... It depends on who he's with. He doesn't like to cry and let anyone else see except when he's with Meredith, he cries like a baby. He tries to be tough but really, he's just like every other seven year old kid..."

"I missed out," Derek spoke with sadness. "I missed out on everything, I don't even have a picture of him for god's sake!"

Mark rolled his eyes in annoyance and went inside his room and emerged a minute later. He handed Derek a photo album. "Here."

"What's this?"

"Photos of Davey."

"You have photos of him? A whole album?" Addison looked at Mark strangely.

"He practically grew up with me, we all lived together for more than three years, three years, Addison, what do you expect?" Mark sighed deeply as he took a seat in the chair across them. "I was a father for three years until that day Meredith got a phonecall from Seattle."

"Seattle?" Derek asked, surprised.

"Yeah," Mark nodded. "They told her you were moving back here and so Meredith... She decided to go back to Seattle. I tried to stop her from leaving but you know her, she's stubborn too."

"Yeah," Derek nodded. He scanned through the photos with Addison looking at them too.

"We met two days after she arrived here in New York, she was pregnant with David back then. We became friends, I guess... She told me her story, you know, falling in love with the married man... I didn't find out it was you until after a month, we went to this conference and your name was mentioned... She cringed. I guess I just placed all the pieces together and finally completed the puzzle. I asked her about it and she told me everything... It went on from there... We've been best of friends..."

Derek's pager suddenly went off making Mark stop in mid sentence.

"Ask him if he wants to spend sometime with me tomorrow, please," Derek stood up, placing the photo album down on the coffee table.

"I'll ask him," Mark had nothing else to do but nod as he stood up.

"Good," Derek looked at Addison. "You coming? I could give you a ride back to the hotel on my way back."

"Sure," Addison nodded and stood up too. Derek was already out the door without another word to Mark. Addison followed Derek but stopped by the doorway and turned to face Mark.

"Mark, that night I came to you and told you we could be together... You were going somewhere..."

"Friday nights," Mark smiled softly. "Mcdonald's dinner night. Davey loved Mcdonald's back then."

"You picked her over me that night..." Addison realized sadly.

"I love her, Addison, and it's not just in the 'I can't have her that's why I like her' or 'I want to sleep with her' kind-of love. This is the real kind."

"It seems like everyone loves her that way, the real kind."

"She's not hard to love, Addison," Mark told her quietly as he shut the door.

--- --- ---

**ha-ha-ha. goodbye, Addison. it was nice seeing you. :P**

**  
**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 **

"I know you don't like me," Derek sighed deeply as he looked at his son. David just looked at him without saying anything. Derek smiled ironically. "You're not even going to..."

"I won't... Cos' I _really_ don't like you," David cut him off.

"I can't really blame you..."

"I'm seven, do you realize that?"

"I know," Derek nodded. "But you're more mature than most people I know."

"I hate it, you know," David went over to the sidewalk and started balancing on it. He stretched his hands to help him balance himself as they both walked.

"What?" Derek looked at him.

"Not being able to think like a kid," he didn't look at Derek, concentrating on his balancing act. After a few seconds, he jumped beside Derek and looked up at him, being his serious self again. "Cos' maybe then I'd be able to forgive you."

Derek looked at him, trying to digest what his son just said to him.

"When I'm with you," David breathed in. "I feel like I can't act like a kid. I feel like you expect me to be something else. And the worse part? I haven't really spent time with you all that long."

"I'm not expecting anything, David," Derek shook his head. "All I want is for you to acknowledge me as your father."

"See? That's all you want..." David turned around and started walking once again. He scoffed loudly. "Acknowledgement. Is that all you want, really? Cos' then that'll be easy, we both know you _are_ my father."

"That's not just what I want," Derek followed him. "I want to be your father. I want you to be a kid when you're with me. Teach you how to ride a bike, fish..."

"I already know how to ride a bike," David told him. "Uncle Alex taught me. And I don't like fishing..."

"You could learn to love it..."

"Nah," David turned him down. Derek gave up at that moment. Until David turned around and looked at Derek for a second before smiling. He pointed towards the playground swing and grinned. For the first time, Derek saw a seven year old kid in his son.

"Could you push me in the swings?" David asked him.

Derek looked at him for a few seconds before returning the same smile and nodding. "Of course."

--- --- ---

"Hey," Derek actually smiled a little as Mark opened the door.

"Knocked out?" Mark asked, looking at David who was asleep on Derek's arms.

"Yeah," Derek nodded as he stepped in.

"You want me to take him off your hands?" Mark offered.

"I'm just going to go place him on the bed," Derek answered, not wanting to be stripped of this chance with his son. Derek looked at his sleeping son for a good few seconds before leaving the room.

"So...," Mark waited for Derek to say something.

"Tomorrow... Ask him if he wants to spend the day over at Sacred Heart... Or maybe a day at the park again..."

"I'll ask him," Mark nodded as Derek walked out the door.

--- --- ---

--- --- --- 

"Hey, Meredith!" David grinned widely as he took the phone from Derek and heard his Mom's voice. "I miss you!"

_"Are you having a good time there?"_

"Yes," David nodded. "Uncle Mark's patients are sooo cool! They come in all whole and smiling and when they come out the look like mummies wrapped in bandage!"

_"Sweetie!"_

"I think I want to be a plastic surgeon..." David told her. "It'll be soo cool having celebrities as my patients."

_"What do you know about celebrities? You're seven!"_

"All I know is they're cool..."

_"Where are you guys anyway?"_ Meredith asked.

David looked over at Derek who was watching him. "Derek and I are at the park, we just came from Uncle Mark's clinic."

_"Derek told me he's going to be the one to take you home here. Is that alright with you?"_

"I thought Uncle Mark was going to take me home?" David spoke disappointedly. He noticed Derek's hurt expression and quickly spoke once again. "It's alright with me. Uncle Mark did tell me he had a busy week."

_"Are you sure about that?"_

"I'm sure," David nodded.

_"Can you hand Derek the phone, I need to talk to him."_

"Okay, I miss you!" David handed the phone back to Derek and went back to the swings.

"Hey," Derek kept his eye on David as he talked to Meredith.

_"I just want you to know that he gets a little motion sickness once the plane's in the air," _Meredith told him. _"You have to have a barf bag ready just in case. And he doesn't like the aisle seats, he likes the window seats. Though it's just a short trip, he'd probably be asleep by the time he gets over the motion sickness. Just recline his seat a bit and let him be, don't wake him up, whatever you do, don't wake him up until the plane's landed. He doesn't like the landing part. Oh god, I'm rambling..."_

"Yes," Derek smiled as he nodded. "You are rambling."

_"I'm sorry," _she apologized._ "It's just that it's his first time riding a plane without me or Mark."_

"Oh," Derek's smile disappeared when Mark's name was mentioned. "You've got nothing to worry about, Mer. We're going to be fine. I'm going to take care of him. He's my son."

_"I know,"_ Meredith replied softly.

"We'll see you tomorrow then?"

_"I'll see you."_

Derek placed his phone inside his pocket and walked over to the swings and started to push David.

"So Mark and Meredith... Are they together?" Derek asked after a few minutes.

"Uncle Mark thinks so," David laughed a little. "Why, you're not jealous, are you?"

"I can't believe I'm talking with you about this," Derek shook his head in disbelief as he continued to push the swing David was on.

"It's alright," David shrugged and looked back at him. "You want to know what I think?"

"Sure."

"I think it'll be cool to have Uncle Mark as my stepfather," David grinned as he jumped of the swing and ran towards the monkey bars. "David Grey Sloan. That's a cool name, don't you think?" he called out.

"I guess," Derek spoke in a soft voice, trying his best not to show his disappointment at what his son just said.

--- --- ---

--- --- ---

"Meredith already told you about David when he's riding a pla..."

"She did," Derek cut him off as he took the bags from Mark's hand. "He's my son, Mark. I can take care of him."

Mark looked at him for a second with anger and then diverted his attention to David who was just coming out of the room. David walked over to them, carrying his backpack in one hand and his coat on the other. Mark took the coat and helped him get into it and then placed his bag on his back. "You ready?"

"Yup," David nodded. He looked up at Mark and grinned. "You're coming over for thanksgiving?"

"I wouldn't miss your Mom's take-out," Mark smiled and nodded. David laughed and reached up to hug Mark.

"I'll miss you, Uncle Mark," David let go and gave Mark a playful punch in the stomach.

"I'll miss you too," Mark reached over and tousled his hair. "You take care."

"I will," David nodded and looked over at Derek who was watching them silently the whole time.

"You ready?"

"Uh-huh," David nodded and walked with Derek out of Mark's apartment. David gave Mark one last smile and a wave before Mark finally closed the door.

--- --- ---

"Mommy!" David smiled widely and ran towards Meredith. He hugged her tightly.

"Did you miss me?" Meredith smiled as she leaned down and kissed him.

"Uh-huh," David nodded.

"Your hair grew longer," Meredith fixed David's messed up hair.

"I was gone for three days," David raised his eyebrow as he looked at his mother.

--- --- ---

_"David Grey Sloan. That's a cool name, don't you think?"_

David's grinning face kept on appearing in Derek's mind as he stared at the papers he was holding. He wasn't about to let Mark ruin his life all over again. He grabbed his pen and without another thought, signed the paper.

--- --- ---

"Derek, what does this mean?" Meredith asked as she looked at the papers he just signed. Burke called her into the office with Derek's request and he handed her the papers.

"I'm moving to Seattle," Derek smiled his McDreamy smile. "I'm gonna make things right between me and David. I'm gonna make things right between us."

--- --- ---

**McDreamy's back in business... LOL. (haha. i bet all the mer/der fans out there would be happy with this one. :D and all the mer/mark fans are gonna start their bashing just about now... hahaha.)**

**reviews please. uber thanks. :D **


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: you guys are AWESOME with the reviews. AWESOME! big thanks to all of you! finally reached 200 reviews! yay me!**

**--- --- ---  
**

**Chapter 14 **

"Oh c'mon Meredith, you know already."

"I don't know, Christina! Maybe you do! So tell me what to do!"

"I know this will sound weird coming from me, Meredith, but happiness does not show in the smiles you make. It comes from inside, Mer. It's the fuzzy and warm feeling that tickles you endlessly."

"It did sound weird coming from you," Meredith cracked a smile.

"Oh shut up," Christina threw some peanuts towards her.

"I want Davey to be happy," Meredith sighed.

"He's happy with Mcsteamy and we both know you are too."

"But what if Davey would be happier with Derek?"

"Would you be happy?"

"I don't know," Meredith shrugged. "Derek's been long gone from my life and I think I've been happy."

"Okay, for one second, just for even one second, try not to think of Davey's happiness and think of yours. Who would make you happy?"

Meredith paused for a few seconds and thought hard. She knew who her heart was calling out for and she called out the name of the man she knew she could learn to love and the man who would make her trully happy. "Mark."

"Then there's your answer!" Christina told her. "For a brain surgeon, you're dumb sometimes."

"I beg your pardon!" Meredith's eyes went wide.

"What," Christina shrugged. "It's true. I don't see why you're having a hard time deciding between those two, I mean, McSteamy definitely loves you, Meredith. He loves you to the point that it's scary. And Derek's not even McDreamy anymore, Mer, he's just _trying_ to be your McDreamy again. He probably has a new wife stashed somewhere in New York and then you guys get together and she comes into the picture, it's Addison all over again."

"You've got too much of an imagination, Christina," Meredith shook her head as she looked at her friend strangely.

"It could happen," Christina shrugged.

"I'm calling him tonight," Meredith spoke in a determined voice.

"You should."

"I should," Meredith nodded. "If only it'll be that easy..."

--- --- ---

"Hey, did you hear the good news?" Derek approached his son who was sitting on one of the benches outside the daycare center.

"What good news? There's hardly any good news going around in hospitals," David looked at Derek with a frown.

"Oh, c'mon, most people come out of this four walls alive," Derek tried to liven his son up.

"Most," David looked at him as if reminding him about the truth. "Anyway, what's the good news?"

"I just signed the papers today. I'm moving here next week."

"Oh," David kept quiet.

"You're not happy?"

"I don't know," David shrugged. "Do I have to be?"

"I guess a little enthusiasm would be helpful," Derek offered.

"Why'd you do it?"

"So that I could get to spend more time with you and your Mom."

"Meredith?" David looked at Derek as he nodded. "Do you love her?"

Derek sighed deeply and looked at his son intently. "Yes, I still love her. That's something that doesn't go away."

"Then why'd you leave," David asked him again. "Don't you think it's time for me to know?"

"Addison, she was my wife back then."

"Addison?" David frowned. "I guess that explains it..."

"What?"

"She's very pretty," David sighed softly. "I guess you really had to pick her."

"I-I," Derek thought of a way on how to tell him the truth. "I had to make a choice back then, I thought I was doing the right thing when I tried to make things work between me and my wife..."

"You thought?"

"I was wrong. Following my overanalyzing mind over my heart..."

"So you loved her?"

"I ran after her, buddy, but she ran the other way fast. If only love were enough, we could have been together."

"Maybe you guys weren't meant to be together..."

"Is that what you think?" Derek asked a little disappointed.

"I guess," David shrugged.

"So..." Derek was about to prod some more but David cut him of.

"Where are you going to live?"

"The trailer," Derek told him.

"You actually like living in that thing?" David grimaced. "It's so stinky!"

"Stinky? It's definitely not stinky," Derek defended.

"It so is!" David insisted, laughing a little. "It smells like trout!"

--- --- ---

--- --- ---

"Mark..."

_"I heard Derek signed the papers... Word travels fast around here," _Mark told her._ "Nah, actually Izzie called me up and told me the news."_

"Mark..."

_"Just... Just tell Davey not to forget me, okay?"_

--- --- ---

--- --- ---

**A few days later... **

"Meredith?" David whispered. "Are you crying?"

"No," Meredith turned away from her son and wiped her eyes dry. "I'm not."

"I'm seven and I'm not stupid, you _are_ crying. Is it because of Derek?"

"No, sweetie," Meredith shook her head.

"Mommy?" David called out.

"Yeah?"

"Why do you keep on lying?" he spoke innocently.

"I'm not lying, sweetie, you know lying's bad," Meredith turned towards him and forced a smile.

"I know lying's bad but I also know that people lie to make things simpler..."

"Just sometimes, sweetie," she told him.

"That means things are complicated now," he spoke.

"They are at some level," Meredith nodded. David looked at her more carefully and once again Meredith knew her son was not a regular 7 year old.

"You do not need to choose him, you know that right? Just because he's my father doesn't mean you have to try and stay with him... And just because he loves you doesn't mean you have to love him back... He doesn't even have to stay here, I don't care if he goes back to New York."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, sweetie, go back to sleep," Meredith lied and kept her forced smile.

"No," David shook his head and insisted on continuing the conversation.

"Go back to sleep," Meredith leaned over and plced a kiss on his forehead. "Good night, sweetie."

"Fine," David pouted and kept quiet the rest of the night.

It was a few hours later when David woke up once again, he looked over at Meredith's face and found her dried up tears indicating she just cried once again. David looked at her mother and knew he needed to do something. He didn't want her mother to feel sad anymore. He carefully sneaked out of their room and headed for the phone. He dialled the number he knew by heart and waited for someone to answer.

"Uncle Mark?" David spoke in a low tone.

_"Davey? Is that you?"_

"Yeah," David nodded though he knew Mark couldn't see him.

_"What's wrong?"_

"It's Meredith..."

_"Did something happen?"_

"No," David shook his head this time. "She's just sad."

_"I can't do anything about that anymore, buddy, Derek's already there for her,"_ Mark told him.

"I know Derek's here, Uncle Mark. But it's not the same as you being here!"

_"I know it seems a bit complicated for you to understand this, Davey, but..."_

"Complicated?" David spoke in a loud voice. "Everything's complicated now, Uncle Mark! Ever since Derek came here, nothing's simple anymore! So please, make it simple again, Uncle Mark, please!"

_"Shhh," _Mark heard his ragged breaths and his soft sobs. _"Buddy, calm down, okay? Calm down."_

"I don't like seeing her cry," David frowned. "It's the first time I ever saw her cry..."

_"She'll be alright, buddy."_

"Derek told me he's going to make things right... But I don't know how he's going to make things right by making Meredith miserable..."

_"She already chose him, buddy, I can't do anything anymore..."_

"Uncle Mark, please," David begged once again. "If you really love Meredith... Just give it a try one more time..."

_"I'm sorry, buddy, I'm sorry. I can't..."_

--- --- ---

**Mark's a weakling. LOL. He's afraid of more heartbreak.**

**And again... I'm expecting some bashing from you guys. ha-ha. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

David Jacob Grey has been avoiding his father since this morning. He left the day care five minutes before the time Derek told him he'd visit him there. He didn't want to see Derek at the moment. Maybe even for a long time. He knew Derek made Meredith cry and who ever made Meredith cry made David angry. 

"What are you doing here? Aren't you suppose to be at daycare when none of us could keep an eye on you?" Izzie asked him as she took a seat beside him.

"It gets boring in there," David shrugged as he looked down at his feet.

"What time is Meredith off today?"

"Eight," David frowned.

"I'm off at six," Izzie told him. "You could just come home with me."

"Really?"

"It's not like I'm going to leave you here and die of boredom," Izzie kidded him. "I'm not your favorite aunt for nothing you know."

"You're my favorite cos' you bake good, Aunt Izzie," David joked.

"Tell me you didn't just say that," Izzie gasped.

"I didn't!" David grinned widely as he jumped off the chair and ran off with Izzie following him.

"Come back here!"

"No! You're going to tickle me!" David ran past the people in the hallway and didn't realize he was headed for someone. He expected to fall down hard but whoever he bumped into grabbed him and held him in place.

"Are you okay?" Izzie finally caught up with him. "I told you not to run."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," David nodded unsurely as he looked up at who he bumped into. Derek looked down at him with concern. "I'm alright."

"You'd better go get ready, Davey," Izzie told him as she placed her arms on his shoulders and pulled him gently from Derek. "I'm just going to go make one more round then I'm gonna pick you up over at the nurses' station."

"You're going home?" Derek asked, looking at David. "Aren't you going to wait for Meredith?"

"She's going to be late," David muttered, looking down at his shoes once again. He could feel Derek looking at him and he felt Izzie's hands squeezing his shoulder. He looked at Izzie and smiled at her. "It's alright, Aunt Izzie, you go check on your patients now. I'll meet you over at the nurses' station."

"Are you sure?" Izzie asked him.

"Yeah," David nodded and watched as Izzie walked away. He could still feel Derek looking at him and he tried not to meet his gaze. Instead he looked around the hall and found someone he never expected to see. "Uncle Mark!"

"Mark?" Derek turned around and saw Mark walking inside the hospital. He turned to look back at David but David already ran past him and greeted Mark with a big hug.

"Uncle Mark! You came!" David grinned.

"I'm not about to let you down, buddy," Mark smiled at him and placed an arm around him.

"I knew you won't," David continued on grinning up at him. They walked together and reached the spot where Derek was standing.

"Mark," Derek acknowledged him. "What the hell are you doing in Seattle again?"

"I would have said another case, but we both know that story's already used up," Mark told him simply. Mark looked at David and gave him a small smile. "C'mon, Davey, I need you to come with me somewhere."

"Where are you taking my son, Mark?" Derek called after them as they passed him.

"Just on the second floor, Derek, you've got nothing to worry about," Mark did not even bother to look at him as they walked away.

Derek glared at Mark and not trusting him, followed them up the stairs. They reached the second floor and Derek was surprised when Burke approached Mark and David.

"Hey, Uncle Preston," David greeted.

"David," Preston greeted back. "You're not running around giving my staff a hard time now, are you?"

"I try to stay out of their way, Uncle Preston, but your staff are always at a lost sometimes. They're the ones who keep getting in my way," David grinned.

"I know," Preston shook his head but smiled a little nonetheless. "I need to talk to them about that."

"Dr. Burke," Mark called Preston's attention.

"Dr. Sloan," Preston shook Mark's hand.

"What is going on here?" Derek asked, walked closer to them and looked back and forth at Burke and Mark.

"I got your call this morning, Dr. Sloan," Preston ignored Derek. "And I would just like to tell you how excited we are here at Seattle Grace to welcome a great plastic surgeon to our staff."

"Staff?" Derek's eyes went wide in realization at what was happening. "What do you mean staff?"

"Uncle Mark, you're staying?" David looked up at Mark.

"Yeah, buddy," Mark nodded as he gave him a little smile and a wink. "I'm staying."

--- --- ---

**Do I get bashing now? NO! Umm... right? I wasn't about to let you guys down and make Mark a weakling... Ha!**

**Oh yeah. Don't you think it's about time that Derek and Mark actually have a REAL confrontation? I think it is...**

**Next chapter! (One of the few remaining ones, sadly...)**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews. :D**

**--- --- ---**

**Chapter 16 **

"Meredith, I think you need to come with me," Christina pulled Meredith not even giving her the chance to place down the patient file she was holding.

"Christina!"

"Oh, trust me, you'd want to see this," Christina told her.

"What is it?"

"Your McSteamy's fighting with McDreamy."

"What?" Meredith's eyes grew wide and she immediately began to walk faster, matching Christina's strides. "Mark is here?"

"Yeah," Christina nodded.

"Where are they?"

"Burke's office."

"What the hell are they doing?"

"Over there," Christina stopped in her tracks and pointed towards Burke's office.

"Seriously?" Meredith let out an irritated sigh as indeed, she saw Mark and Derek arguing inside Burke's office. She felt Christina nudge her with her elbow. She looked at her and Christina signaled at something with her eyes. Meredith followed her gaze.

"Oh god," Meredith let out a sigh as she saw David intently watching Derek and Mark from one of the corners near the office. She approached him and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. David looked at her, confused.

"What are they arguing about, Mommy?"

"I don't know, sweetie. Why don't you go with Aunt Christina as I go see what's going on inside."

"Okay," David nodded sadly and walked over to Christina, still stealing glances back towards Burke's office.

"You okay?" Christina asked him.

"Yeah," David nodded. "What do you think they're arguing about?"

"Ego," Christina placed an arm around David and led him away. "Testosterone... I have no idea, Davey, let's just go."

--- --- ---

"What happened?" Meredith was about to go inside Burke's office when Derek and Mark came storming out.

"Stay out of this, Meredith," Derek told her with distaste as he walked past her.

"Stay out of this?" Meredith followed them. "I don't even know what this is about!"

"It's nothing," Mark shook his head and showed a small smile towards Meredith. "Just a small mishap."

"Small?" Derek turned around and looked at Mark, as if ready to attack. "You call this small? Would you like to take this outside, _Dr. Sloan_?"

"Outside?" Meredith panicked. She looked at Mark who gave Derek a small smirk and a small nod. "Where are you going?"

"We're taking this outside apparently," Mark shrugged, completely unaffected by Derek's threat. Meredith followed the two of them.

"How dare you!" Derek stopped walking and faced Mark once they reached the parking lot. "How dare you come waltzing in here again!"

"Waltzing in?" Mark raised his eyebrow and smirked once again. "I wouldn't call that waltzing in, Derek. I don't waltz."

"Would you guys stop for a second and tell me what's going on?" Meredith interjected.

"I signed the contract, Mer, I'm starting work here next week."

"What?" Meredith asked surprised. "Why?"

"Why do you think?" Derek shouted as he looked at Mark with rage. "He's doing it to ruin my life once again!"

"Not everything is about you, Derek," Mark told him calmly.

"Yeah right," Derek scoffed. "All you ever wanted in life is to ruin mine! You're nothing but a egotistic bastard, Mark! You're nothing but that!"

"I did it because I LOVE HER!" Mark shouted for the first time during their argument as he pointed towards Meredith.

"Love her?" Derek almost laughed out loud. "What is this? Addison all over again?"

"You know what? Shut up!" Mark continued to shout. "I did love Addison but I regretted ever doing what I did cause I feel like it's my fault somehow that we're in this mess. If I hadn't slept with Addison then you wouldn't have moved to Seattle... You wouldn't have met Meredith..."

Meredith looked at Mark the whole time.

"Then maybe... I don't know," Mark shrugged. "I could have met her before you... Then I could have had her to me..."

"God! Stop being so melodramatic!" Derek scoffed loudly this time. "And it's about time you realized that everything's your fault, you know!"

"Stop!" Meredith suddenly shouted. "It's nobody's fault!"

"You know what," Derek suddenly turned to Meredith and pointed an accusating finger at her. "You want to know whose fault all of this is? Yours! If you hadn't kept Davey from me then this..."

"Keep her out of this! This is between us two!" Mark cut Derek off.

"No! This is about her too!" Derek stepped closer to Meredith but kept his gaze towards Mark. "Once again we fall in love with the same woman... Once again I get there first and you're here to ruin it. What makes you think you're gonna win now, huh, Mark?"

Mark stared at Derek for a moment without saying anything. He turned around and started to walk away, leaving Derek and Meredith staring after him.

"That's what you do best, Mark, walk away!" Derek called out. Mark stopped in his tracks.

"Fuck you, Derek! Fuck you!" Mark charged towards Derek and grabbed him by the collar.

"Mark, stop!" Meredith was about to go closer to them and try to pry Mark of off Derek.

"No, let him. I want to hear what he wants to say," Derek spoke out despite his obvious struggle to do so.

"You want to know what I feel? You're as fucked up as I thought you were, Derek. I may be a pompous, egotistic bastard but you're the biggest jerk I know. You got everything in life and yet you never appreciate it. Just like you took Addison forgranted, just like how you'd take Meredith forgranted."

"She'll never pick you, Mark," Derek looked him in the eye. "Never."

"I know," Mark let Derek go with little care. "But I hope to god she doesn't pick you too, cos' all you're ever going to bring her are tears."

All Meredith did was watch as Mark walked away. She looked back and forth between the retreating Mark and Derek who was still a bit flustered but was looking at her with meaning once again. And then she knew what to do right then and there.

--- --- ---

**The choices we make makes us... And Meredith's definitely choosing... (shout out your votes! ha-ha.) **

**Next chapter!  
**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Meredith Grey stood between the two men that have been the bringer of hate, love, tears, smiles, laughter, and pain in her life.

She looked at the man, standing close to her, looking at her. The man who has broken her heart numerous times it hurt too much to even count... The man who gave her her son...

Then she watched the man who was walking away from her. The man who took care of her when she was in pieces... The man who helped her become whole again... The man who held her hand each time she felt like giving up...

She gasped slightly as the rain started to pour. Just like the rain, the pain-- it pours.

--- --- ---

_Thrice._

That was the number of times Mark's heart had been broken. In the 38 years of his existence, of the dozens of women that have passed through his bed, his heart has only been broken thrice. And as much as Mark could proudly say that his cold heart has learned to love thrice and be broken thrice, he would be lying if he would do so. Because his cold heart has only learned to love once. He has only offered his heart to the one person who has broken it thrice-- Meredith Grey.

The first time when she decided to leave for Seattle.

The second time when she did not show up at the bar.

The third one, he was experiencing now.

And it hurt.

It hurt like hell.

But he was Mark.

And Mark Sloan doesn't succumb to pain.

But like everything in this world that has a limit, Mark Sloan's heart had its own...

And he was glad it was raining, cos' then nobody would notice that it wasn't the rain trickling down his face right now, it was his tears.

--- --- ---

Derek Shepherd looked at Meredith Grey, the rain falling down on him, soaking him wet. He stood in his place, not moving an inch as he waited for her to say something, anything. She was looking at him, but it wasn't the same way she used to look at him. The way she looked at him long before Addison showed up that night and ruined everything that could have been. That night he was stripped of the chance of having a family of his own.

He remembered that night, it was also raining, it seems like the rain always came with pain.

--- --- ---

"Meredith!" Derek called out after her as she walked away from him towards where Mark was heading to. "Meredith, where are you going!?"

When Meredith did not look back, he shouted once again.

"You have got to be kidding me! You're choosing him!?" Derek wanted to go afer her but stopped himself, trying to test up to how he really mattered to her. "Think about Davey, Meredith! Think about our son!"

That got her. She turned around and looked at him but not with.

"Davey would always be my son and your son. But my heart is my heart, Derek. And my heart chooses Mark cause I love him, Derek. I really do. I probably have for a long time. I was just blinded by my endless pursuit of happiness, when all along... Mark's been right infront of me..."

Mereredith turned around and ran after Mark, leaving Derek standing in the rain.

--- --- ---

"MARK!" her voice was unmistakingly drowned out by the violent of the rain. She feared she wouldn't be able to catch up to him. It was either tough luck or god's miracle that Mark dropped his car keys. She stopped in her tracks, a few feet away from him as she watched him fumble for his keys in the rain.

"You ran off," Meredith spoke out making Mark stood up straight and turned around to face her.

"I know," he answered after a second.

"Aren't you gonna ask me what I'm doing here?"

"To rub it in more? To see what my face looks like after getting my heart broken cos' you didn't see what it looked like the last time..."

"Stop it," she cut him off, walking closer to him until she was standing right in front of him.

"What do you want me to do, Mer... Cry?" he asked her, feeling weak. "Cos' I was planning on doing that later privately."

"I know you're tired," she told him. "You've been tired for too long... And I'm here to tell you that it's time you stopped fighting."

"I know, Mer, I just lost, didn't I? This feeling like my heart's been ripped off of my chest and stabbed..." Mark placed his hand for a second against his chest. "But I think I'm used to..."

"You won, Mark, you won."

"Wh--" he looked down at her, confused.

"I love you, Mark. I love you and I choose you," she placed her hand on his chest as she looked up at him, her eyes reflecting what she has just said.

"Meredith..."

"If you waited that night at the bar and if you gave me the chance to explain when I was in New York, then you would have known that I did go to Joe's... But you weren't there anymore... I already made up my mind that night, Mark."

"Why didn't you tell me?" he took her hand that was laying against his chest and held it in his.

"You didn't give me the chance. You already assumed..."

"I'm a pompous ass."

"I know," she nodded a little.

"Meredith..." Mark started to speak but Meredith stopped him with a kiss.

"Do you have any idea how much I wanted to do that?" she spoke, smiling, as she pulled away.

"Isn't it supposed to be me saying that?"

"You already kissed me without warning last time, I think it's my turn."

"And now it's mine again," Mark leaned down and kissed her, something he has wanted to do freely ever since. After a while, Mark pulls away from her and looks at her in the eye. "Mer?"

"Hmm?" she looks at him, still a bit dazed.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too," she replied back.

"Let's go back inside..." Mark placed wrapped his arm around her as he led her towards the hospital doors. "I don't think the rain's stopping anytime soon."

Mark looked up at the sky for a second, savoring the raindrops that were falling down on him. This time, Mark didn't need the rain to hide his tears, he knew there would never be tears again.

--- --- ---

--- --- ---

**Voila!**

**A/N: So it's been a month since I last updated. SO sorry. But I think it's worth it... Cos' the rain theme of this chapter just came out of nowhere to me a few days ago... ha-ha.  
**

**anywayz... there you go... she finally chose someone. it's not yet the end, of course, we are still yet to see what happens to Derek Shepherd... do you guys even want to know? ha-ha.  
**

**Don't forget to review! Thanks! **


	18. Chapter 18

**--- HAPPY HOLIDAYS! ---**

**I did it! I updated all three fics at the same time! I thought I couldn't do it... I realized just how hard it is to write three fics all at the same time... Multi-tasking to the max! But I was really dead-set on doing this for you guys since it's christmas and all... So... Here goes... And again, happy holidays! Cheers!**

**--- --- ---**

**--- --- ---  
**

**Chapter 18**

"They were shouting, Aunt Izzie!" David insisted.

Izzie shook his small hand enclosed in hers reassuringly. "I bet it was nothing, Davey."

"But they were shouting!" David jumped up and down and pulled on her hand. He looked up at her. "What do you think happened?"

"Did you bring your raincoat?" Izzie asked, evading his line of questions.

"Uh-huh," David nodded and let go of her hand to take out his raincoat from his backpack. His gaze lieuwayed for a second and saw Derek entering the hospital doors. "There's Derek!"

"Davey!" Izzie sighed in defeat as she watched David run towards Derek. "What did I tell him about running..."

"Derek!" David reached his father.

"Davey," Derek stopped in his tracks, looking at his son.

"Where's Meredith?" David asked him, sneaking a peek behind him in case Meredith was following him.

"Your mother is outside making the greatest mistake of her life."

"What?" David looked up at him, confused.

"Your mother just made a choice, son," Derek placed his hand on David's shoulder and bent down to look at him better. "I'm gonna talk to my lawyers and have you come with me to New York."

"No!" David shook Derek's hand on his shoulder away.

"This will be for the best."

"No!" David shook his head and began hitting Derek as hard as he could. "You can't take me! No! I hate you! I hate you!"

"Hey, hey," Alex suddenly came jogging in and swooped David away from Derek. "What's the matter here?"

Derek watched as Alex held onto his son.

"You'd better start walking away, man, cos' I'm about to let him come after you," Alex warned Derek as he held David to him who was still flailing and trying to hit Derek. "That or I'm the one who's gonna be doing the punching for him."

"It's sad that my son had to grow up amongst you people, incredibly sad," Derek shook his head in disappointment and walked away, his anger speaking its way out.

"Izzie!" Alex called out and placed David infront of her. "Hold the kid, I'm gonna go kick that guy's ass."

"Alex," Izzie reached over and held on to Alex's arms. "Don't do anything you'll regret later. He's not worth it."

"Yeah," Alex stopped himself and just watched Derek walk away. "He's not worth anything."

Alex looked at David. He already stopped flailing around but was now taking deep breathes as he sobbed his little heart out. Alex kneeled down and placed both his hands on David's shoulder.

"You have to calm down, buddy," Alex coaxed David.

"I want my Mommy," David spoke in between his sobs.

"Davey," Izzie kneeled down too.

"Hey, there's your Mom right now," Alex pointed past David's shoulder as he saw Meredith and Mark coming in.

"Mommy?" David's head whipped towards where Mark and Meredith just walked in, wet from the rain. David ran towards Meredith. He didn't say anything as he hugged his Mom.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Meredith hugged her son who had his arms wrapped around her.

"Hey, buddy, what's wrong?" Mark kneeled down infront of him, as he patted his back.

"Derek said some stuff to him," Izzie told Meredith as she and Alex reached them.

"Stuff?" Meredith asked.

"I didn't hear any of it," Izzie shook her head. "Davey just started hitting Derek."

"Did he hurt you, buddy?" Mark's jaw twitched as he tried to contain his anger, thinking of Derek laying a hand on his own son. David turned around and he wrapped his arms around Mark's neck, something he always did when he was upset. Mark shook his head in disappointment at Derek as he stood up, David in his arms.

"He said he was gonna take me with him to New York," David's muffled voice came from Mark's shoulder.

"We're not gonna let that happen," Mark told him, patting his back in efforts of calming him down.

"Sweetie, you know Mommy's not gonna give you up," Meredith rubbed his back. David still didn't calm down. Meredith sighed deeply. She was going to kill Derek. He had no right to do this to their son. She shook her head in disappointment, trying to see if he was still around. She looked at Izzie and Alex and they both shook their heads. She muttered under her breath. "I'm gonna kill him."

"I'll do that for you, if you want," Alex offered his help.

"You'd have to get in line," Mark muttered angrilly, still trying to calm the boy in his arms.

"Mommy?" David slowly raised his head from Mark's shoulder and looked at Meredith. "I think I'm okay now."

"Are you sure, sweetie?" Meredith walked closer to them and looked at her son more closely.

"Uh-huh," David sniffled as he nodded. Meredith wiped away his remaining tears and smiled at him.

"Give me a smile then?" Meredith coaxed him gently.

David looked at her and broke a smile.

"Good," Meredith was relieved.

"Can we go home now?" David asked.

"Let me just finish my shift, okay? Why don't you and Uncle Mark stay over at the on-call room first. I'll come by later when I'm done. Is that okay with you?"

David nodded and returned to his earlier position, holding on to Mark for dear life.

"We made quite a scene here," Mark smiled a little, relieved that David was alright.

"So..." Alex looked back and forth from Mark and Meredith. "You guys finally together?"

Meredith smiled at Mark and then looked at Alex and Izzie. She nodded. "Yeah."

"It's about time, Grey," Alex smiled amusedly and then winking at Meredith. "Finally gettin' the McNasty on?"

"Alex!" Izzie hit him on the shoulder, glaring at him.

--- --- ---

**_2 days later..._**

"Nancy pants!?"

"Mark!"

"What are you doing here?"

"Mom asked me to check up on Derek."

"I'm starting work here next week, right now, I'm just here for lunch."

"Lunch? In a hospital? The food here sucks, Mark."

"I, umm, I promised someone I'd bring him lunch today," Mark raised the McDonald's take-out package he was holding.

"Uncle Mark!"

"You snuck out of daycare again?" Mark asked in a scolding manner.

"I'll just sneak back in later," David grinned at him.

"Davey..." Mark spoke in a scolding manner.

"So," Nancy looked at the boy who looked exactly like her brother. "This is Davey."

David turned his attention from Mark to Nancy.

"Hi, Davey, I'm your Aunt Nancy," Nancy bent down a little to

"_Aunt_?" David eyed the woman.

"She's Derek's sister," Mark explained to David.

David looked at Nancy for a second and then tugged Mark's hand. "Let's go, Uncle Mark."

"Aren't you going to give me a hug?"

"I don't hug strangers."

"Davey!" Mark shook his hand in a reprimanding manner. "Apologize."

David pouted for a second before looking serious and looked up at Nancy. "I'm sorry."

"That's alright," Nancy gently patted David's head. "You should fly back to New York for Thanksgiving, so that you could meet your cousins and your other aunts and your grandma."

"No!" David glared at her and shook his head. "I'm not going to New York with Derek ever!"

"Davey!" Mark was shocked at David's actions.

"I don't want anything to do with you Shepherds!" David let go of Mark's hand and ran off.

"Sorry, Nancy, he's got issues with Derek," Mark told Nancy quickly as he walked after the running boy.

Nancy watched Mark walk away still in disbelief at what just happened. She sighed deeply and turned around, immediately seeing her brother coming out from one of the rooms. She stalked over to him and stopped right infront of him not giving him the chance to pass through.

"Derek!"

"I told you to go home, Nancy!" Derek tried to get pass her but she wouldn't let him. She placed a hand against his chest.

"What the hell did you do to the kid?" Nancy ignored his comment.

"What kid?"

"Davey!" She has his attention now.

"You met him?"

"He hates you, Derek. What the hell did you do to him?" she glared at him more when he didn't respond but just stared at her. "You'd better make things right with that boy, Derek!"

"I will!"

"And make things right with Mark," she added.

"What!? I owe nothing to that ass!"

"Just make things right, Derek. You wouldn't want Mom finding out he's got a grandson that wouldn't even get on a plane that's going anywhere near New York just to avoid everybody that has Shepherd in their names."

"Don't you think I haven't thought of that!? I want to bring Davey back to New York and introduce him to our family but I can't, Nancy! Cos' the boy hates me."

"Invite them to dinner or something, Derek. Just do anything to make things right!"

--- --- ---

It's been a whole week since Meredith chose Mark over Derek, a whole week since Derek threatened to take David with him to New York and probably lost the trust of his son altogether. He knew what his sister told him was true, he needed to make things right between him and his son. She was even right about him needing to make things right with Mark but he didn't believe in his sister _that _much.

"I guess this is it," Derek watched as his patient was wheeled away. He let out a deep sigh and looked around as if searching for something else to do. He looked around and suddenly felt sick as he saw Meredith come out of a patient's room with Mark following her. They were holding hands. "Perfect, just perfect."

He pretended to be busy with the discharged patient's file. He waited for the couple to pass him by before he threw down the patient's file on the counter, not giving any care to the glare the nurse just passed his way. He watched as Meredith and Mark walked away and his sister's advise started to ruin his thoughts once again.

It was lunch that afternoon when his sister's advise finally got to him.

"Meredith," Derek finally mustered up the courage to do what was needed to be done.

"Derek," Meredith was surprised that he was speaking to her.

"Can't believe I'm doing this," Derek muttered.

"What?"

"Dinner. Dinner tonight with me. I'm inviting you and Mark... And Davey if he'll come."

"Seriously?"

"What? We can't have dinner?"

"Sure," Meredith nodded unsurely. "I'll tell Mark about it."

"I'll see you guys then," Derek gave her a small smile and walked away.

* * *

Meredith had a hard time convincing Mark to come to the dinner. She had a harder time convincing David though. He didn't want to see Derek, still afraid that he'd take him away with him. But with a lot of coaxing and a few tickling, she finally made Davey say yes. They all made their orders and once the food arrived, there were still no words that has been said. Half-way into the dinner, someone finally broke the silence. 

"I talked with Preston and he told me he'd take care of the papers already," Derek started speaking. "I'm moving back to New York. We all know things are not going to work out with the three of us," Derek took a sip of his champagne. Meredith stopped eating and looked at him, David stopped his chewing and also looked at Derek. Mark continued to eat not giving any hint of concern towards what Derek just said.

"You're moving?" David asked as he looked at Derek with fear in his eyes. "You're not taking me with you, right?"

"No, I'm not going to take you with me, Davey," Derek gave his son a sad smile as he shook his head slowly. "About that... Since Mark still has his clinic in New York, I figured if Mark flies out there, he could bring David. And David could spend sometime with me. And summers, maybe..."

David looked at Meredith and than at Mark, waiting for their answer.

"If that's okay with you guys," Derek added.

"Yeah," Meredith nodded and looked at Mark.

"Fine by me," Mark gave a small shrug and looked at Derek for the first time that evening. "I'll be flying to New York at least twice a month, three days tops everytime. I'll try to make it fall on weekends so that Davey's got no school. Is that good enough for you?"

"That'll be great," Derek nodded.

"But not summers," David spoke. "I've got soccer training this summer. Mom already said yes."

"Soccer?" Mark and Derek spoke at the same time. They looked at each other for a second before looking at David.

"Yeah," David nodded with a wide smile. "Soccer."

"Did I say yes to that already?" Meredith pretended to know nothing of it.

"Mom!"

"I did," Meredith smiled and nodded. "I did say yes."

David smiled widely and raised his hand up in a 'hooray' gesture, taking his fork along the way and spilling his food into his sweater. He looked at Meredith and smiled sheepishly. "Oops?"

"I'll take him," Mark volunteered.

"No," Meredith shook her head and stood up. "I'll take him. C'mon, sweetie."

David got up from his seat and took Meredith's hand.

Derek cleared his throat as he watched Meredith and David walk away. He looked at his ex-best friend. "Mark."

Mark looked at him and raised his eyebrow, waiting for him to say something.

"We both know we're never going to be what we were before you..." Derek couldn't say it. "Before you..."

"Before I slept with Addison," Mark finished for him.

"Yes," Derek nodded. "But for my son's sake, I think I could find it in me to be civil around you."

"I could be civil too, Derek."

"That's good then," Derek nodded.

"Good."

"And Mark?"

"Hmm?"

"Take care of them," Derek asked. "And don't hurt her... She's had too much."

"I'll take care of them, Derek, you've got nothing to worry about," Mark looked at him strongly. "I love them."

Derek sighed and nodded, accepting Mark's promise.

"What'd we miss," Meredith and David came back and took their seats.

"Nothing much," Mark shook his head, not looking at Meredith.

"Yeah," Derek spoke softly as he looked at Mark and Meredith. He placed his napkin on the table and stood up. "I'd better get going. Still need to do some packing and all that... Dinner's on me, umm, I'll just have the manager send me the tab."

Derek forced a smile and he leaned over to pat David on the head. "I'll see you, buddy. I'm sorry for saying..."

"It's alright," David quickly spoke up.

"Meredith," Derek looked over at Meredith and gave her a small smile. "I... I'm glad that you're happy now."

"Thanks," Meredith wondered what just happened between the two while she and David were away.

"Mark," Derek looked at his ex-bestfriend. He reached out and offered his hand for a handshake.

"Derek," Mark reached out and shook his hand briefly. "You've got nothing to worry about."

"I know," Derek nodded. With one last sad smile, he left.

--- --- --

_**THANKSGIVING--- --- ---**_

"Happy Thanksgiving!!!" David opened the door widely and greeted Christina and Preston.

"Davey, my man!" Preston gave David a high-five.

"Uncle Preston!" David grinned widely at him. "You got the turkey?"

"All dead," Preston showed him the plastic bag he was carrying. "And ready to be stuffed."

"Mom's at the living room," David closed the door behind them. "Uncle Mark's still in the hospital and Aunt Izzie's in the kitchen doing all the cooking. Uncle George and Uncle Alex are just sitting around, not helping or anything, according to Aunt Izzie."

"As long as Meredith Grey doesn't have anything to do with the cooking, I'm thankful," Christina murmured as she walked towards the kitchen to join the non-cooking doctors.

"Mom!" David shouted. "Aunt Christina's thankful you're not cooking!"

"Tattle tale," Christina her tongue out at David. David stuck his tongue back at her as he entered the living room and took a seat beside Meredith on the couch.

"Did Uncle Mark call yet?" David asked.

"No," Meredith shook her head. "I think he's running a little late."

"But he's gonna make it, right?"

"The turkey's not going to be ready for a few hours, sweetie, you've got nothing to worry about," Meredith placed a kiss on David's forehead.

"I got this in the mail today," David pulled out an envelope from his back pocket and handed it to Meredith.

"What is it?"

"It's from Derek. I haven't opened it, I wanted you to see it first."

"When will you open it?"

"Would you open it for me?" David asked her. Meredith nodded and opened the envelope. She pulled out the contents of the envelope and handed them to David. David looked at the enclosed photo and read the inscription at the back. "It says Shepherd family."

"Read the letter."

"Dear Davey, Happy Thanksgiving! I'm sending you a picture of the Shepherd family that was taken last Thanksgiving. They're all looking forward to meet you. Regards, Derek," David read it out loud. He looked at the photo once again. He looked at all the unfamiliar faces one by one. "There sure a lot of those Shepherds."

"When was this taken?" Meredith asked, pulling out another photo from the envelope.

"Which one?" David looked at the said photo. "Oh that. On our way back from New York, that was on the plane. Derek had the flight attendant take a photo of us."

"That's nice," Meredith smiled slightly. She handed David the photo and the envelope. David placed the letter and the other photo inside. He closed the envelope and placed it back inside his back pocket, all thoughts of Derek leaving his mind.

"What do you think Grandma Joan and Grandpa Millton did for Thanksgiving?"

"Probably ate out, you know Joan doesn't like cooking without your Uncle Mark there."

"You think they can fly here next Thanksgiving and spend sometime with us?"

"You'll have to ask your Uncle Mark about that."

"He's here!" David grinned and jumped of the couch to answer the door. He grinned more widely as he saw Mark. "Uncle Mark!"

"I'm here."

"I thought you weren't going back till' after a few hours," David asked as he took his Uncle Mark's hand and pulled him towards the living room. He left him there without another word as he ran towards the kitchen to check on the progress of the turkey.

"I got out of surgery early," Mark sat down next to Meredith and kissed her. "You staying away from the kitchen?"

"There's a No Entrance sign that bears my name on it there," Meredith smiled a little.

"Good then," Mark smiled widely.

"David asked me if your parents could fly here next Thanksgiving," Meredith informed him.

"Really?" Mark asked. "I think they'll like that. Mom actually got angry at me when she found out Davey was there last month and I didn't take him to them."

"He misses them."

"They miss him, too. Too much if you ask me," Mark smiled slyly.

"You know they're the only grandparents Davey grew up knowing."

"And he's the only grandchild they have too," Mark gave her a small wink. He thought hard for a moment before speaking once again and telling her what was on his mind. "What do you think about flying there this Christmas?"

"I think Davey'll like that," Meredith nodded.

"But is it okay with you?"

"Anything that makes the two men in my life happy, makes me happy," Meredith smiled and kissed him.

"I love you," Mark murmured in between their kisses.

"I love you too."

After a few more hours of hanging around the living room, Izzie finally called them all for dinner. They all sat around the big table and David all told them they needed to say something they're thankful for. No one could say no to the boy, so they all nodded even if they didn't want to say anything.

"I'm thankful for everyone coming here," Christina quickly said. "That's about it."

"I'm thankful for this wonderfully cooked dinner," Izzie grinned proudly as she looked at what she and Burke prepared. "And I'm thankful for everyone finally having a day off and coming here."

"I'm thankful for Meredith not cooking this dinner..." Alex spoke.

"Hey!" Meredith half-glared at him.

"What!" Alex shrugged. "It's true!"

"I'm thankful for this family," George smiled at all of them. "_And _for my Dad for finally stopping the O'Malley turkey hunting."

"I'm thankful for everything," Burke spoke quickly. He shrugged as everyone looked at him, expecting more from him.

"I'm thankful for Meredith and David Grey coming into my life," Mark looked at the said two.

"I'm thankful for Mark Sloan coming into ours," Meredith smiled brightly. "And of course, I'm thankful for having my friends and family around."

"I'm thankful for meeting Derek," David spoke quietly before looking at Meredith and Mark. "And I'm thankful that my Mom's finally happy."

"Thanks, sweetie."

"And I'm thankful for my new Playstation 3 that Uncle Mark's buying me for Christmas," David grinned at Mark.

"Buddy, I told you to keep that a secret, I don't think your Mom's going to be happy about that," Mark leaned over and whispered.

"And I'm thankful for my new baby brother!"

"What!?" Mark looked at David and then looked at Meredith.

"What!?" Meredith

"Meredith! You're pregnant!?" Christina asked.

"No! No! No!" Meredith shook her head profusely. "I'm not!"

"Seriously, Mer,"

"I'm not pregnant!" Meredith told them for the last time before looking at her son. "Davey, sweetie, tell them it's not true!"

All of them looked at David who was grinning from ear to ear, a mischievous twinkle adorning his blue eyes.

--- --- ---

--- --- ---

**And that ladies and gentlemen (are there any?)... is the last chapter of Going the Other Way... i know it's a weird way to end but i did accomplish everything i wanted to accomplish:**

**-A Mer/Mark ending.  
-A happy ending...  
-Derek accepting that Mark won.  
-Derek going away. **

**i apologize to Derek fans about making him too much of a jerk in my fic (especially at the start of this chapter)... but i did save him (somehow) in the end... ha-ha. i did, didn't i?  
**

**now that was LONG. So i think i deserve longggg reviews. Ha-ha. If you guys ask nicely... there's an epilogue all ready and saved... -hint-hint-**

**Thanks! **


	19. Epilogue

**Epilogue:**

**1 year later...**

"Why do I have to wear this thing?" David frowned as he pulled on the bow of his tuxedo.

"Davey, place that back!" Meredith walked over to him and placed it back on.

"I don't want to wear this!" David pouted as he looked at Meredith.

"It's only for a few hours, Davey, just dinner," Meredith told him. "Your Uncle Mark wants the three of us to do something special for your birthday."

"My birthday was a _week_ ago, Mom," David frowned. "And we already had a party!"

"Just a few hours, Davey, please?"

"Fine," David rolled his eyes and sat down on the couch near the bed. He watched Meredith fix her hair for a few minutes. "Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you and Uncle Mark getting married?"

"I don't know," Meredith shrugged. "Someday, maybe..."

"If you get married can I call him Dad?"

"You'll have to ask him about that."

"You think Derek will get mad if I do?"

"I don't know that either, sweetie," Meredith smiled at him a little. For the past year, David has been spending some weekends with Derek in New York but he never got around to calling him Dad. Calling Mark _Dad_ would certainly be something that would greatly affect Derek.

"So who do I ask first? Derek or Uncle Mark?"

"Hey, are you guys ready?" Mark entered the room completely all dressed up stripping Meredith the chance of answering David's question.

David looked at what Mark was wearing and then back at what he was wearing. He groaned and whined. "Mom!"

"What?"

"You just had to buy us the same thing, didn't you?" David frowned.

"Aww, c'mon, buddy," Mark chidded him. "It's not so bad dressing up like your old Uncle Mark now is it?"

David glared at him annoyingly for a second before turning serious and looking at him.

"What?" Mark asked.

"Uncle Mark..." David started.

"Just ask him, Davey," Meredith couldn't help but hide her smile knowing what her son is about to do.

"What's the secret?" Mark looked back and forth between David and Meredith. David passed Meredith a doubting look and Meredith just nodded. "You guys are making me nervous."

"Uncle Mark, can I call you Dad if you and Meredith get married someday?" David finally let it out.

"Really?"

"Umm, yeah," David nodded. "So... Can I?"

"Of course, buddy! I would love that!"

"Really?" David asked again.

"Yeah!" Mark grinned widely. His life couldn't get any better.

* * *

"You ready?" Mark asked David. 

"Uh-huh," David nodded, just placing his seatbelt on.

They were in the middle of the highway when Meredith's pager started to beep loudly. She gave Mark an apologetic smile and looked at her beeper.

"I need to go to the hospital," Meredith announced.

"Why'd you bring that, anyway?" Mark asked as he u-turned the car to head back towards the hospital's location.

"Habit," Meredith looked at her beeper. "It says 911."

"What could it be?" Mark asked. "My beeper didn't go on, that means it's probably a neuro."

"You're the one to talk," Meredith rolled her eyes and reached over towards Mark's pocket and pulled out his beeper. "You also brought your beeper with you!"

"Habit," Mark smiled at her.

"We're here!" David announced.

"This'll probably take a few minutes, let me just clear it out. Maybe we could still get to dinner after," Meredith gave Mark an apologetic smile and ran off of the car.

"Your mother is too dedicated to her work," Mark gave out a deep sigh as he shook his head.

"That's what makes her the best," David grinned, unbuckling his seatbelt and headed out the car, Mark following him.

* * *

"Meredith!" Izzie ran towards Meredith. "Head trauma patient, room 2228." 

"We were heading out for dinner, Izzie! Aren't there any neurosurgeons lying around here?" Meredith asked, a little irritated, as they walked towards the room.

Izzie stopped in front of the room and let Meredith go through on her own. "This one's specially for you. Good luck, Mer!"

"Good luck?" Meredith looked at Izzie but she wasn't there anymore. She gave out a sigh and walked inside the room. She was surprised to find the room empty and dark. She opened the lights and gave out a loud gasp as she saw what was in the room.

"Crap."

"Crap?" Mark appeared behind her sporting a large grin. "I go through all this and all you could say is crap?"

"You did this?" Meredith looked at all the rose bouquet and the rose petals that filled the room.

"I would be very mad if someone else did this for you," Mark teased her as he walked closer to her slowly. "So..."

"I love it," Meredith smiled as she charged towards him and hugged him tightly.

"You haven't seen this," Mark held her and led her towards the bed near the windows that was hidden behind the curtain. Mark opened the curtain and watched Meredith's face as she discovered what was on the bed.

"Mark..." Meredith gasped as she saw the words 'Marry me.' formed through the rose petals.

"Would you?" Mark let go of her and knelt down before her as he took out the ring from his pocket. He looked up at her and took her hand. "Marry me, Meredith Grey."

"Yes," Meredith nodded profusely. "Yes!"

He smiled widely and placed the ring on her finger as he stood up and kissed her.

"She said yes!" Izzie's voice was heard from the doorway and the cheers of probably the whole Seattle Grace staff was heard.

"Seems like you've gotten a lot of people to help you with this plan of yours," Meredith teased him.

Mark smiled slyly. "It wasn't easy, I'll tell you that. But it was all worth it."

"Oh yeah?"

"Oh yeah," Mark nodded with a smile. He took her hands in his and pulled her towards the door. "You want to go outside and tell everyone the good news?"

"I think they already know, Mark," she laughed a little.

"There's an 8 year old down at the lobby that doesn't..."

"You didn't tell Davey?" Meredith asked.

Mark shook his head and gave her a small smile. "You know how that boy can't keep secrets from you, he would have blurted it out the minute I told him. So, c'mon, let's go tell him the good news, soon-to-be _Dr._ _Sloan_."

* * *

**Cheesy, I know... hhaha. I could finally label this fic complete. Yay.  
**

**And for one last time... Review:D**

**And check out my other fics. :D Especially _We'll Make It Through This, I Promise... _It's just about done and I'm just fishing for reviews... haha. They're my fuel. :D Review it! Please!  
**

**Thanks for reading, reviewing, and loving Going The Other Way.!. **


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